Canada-Israel prostitution ring alleged

Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society.">
CJN News Services
June 15, 2006


JERUSALEM — Police in Israel say they have uncovered a prostitution ring that may have included trafficking Russian-speaking Israeli women to Canada. Three arrests were made last week in the case.

Tel Aviv police became suspicious when they noticed ads in Russian newspapers offering women up to $10,000 (US) a month for work as escorts in Canada. Police allege the women were sent to Canada as part of an international network that is active in Russia, Israel, Canada and the United States.

The alleged ring recruited dozens of young women who were subjected to degrading interviews and nude photographs. Some were sent against their will, said Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld.

Insp. Glenn Hanna of the RCMP said in Toronto there would be no charges of human trafficking. The UN definition of the offence requires that the victims be coerced, while it appears the women sent to Canada were not forced and came knowing what was expected of them. He said the cases have been turned over to Toronto police for investigation.

Announcement of the Israeli ring came the same day the U.S. State Department issued a report on human trafficking that blamed Israel for not doing enough to stop the practice.

Rosenfeld said Israel had stepped up its efforts to stop human trafficking. “There is a decline [in Israel] in the numbers of those who are involved and dealing today with the buying and selling of women,” he said.