Brothels, sex shops and lap dancing clubs in Soho raided by hundreds of police

Twenty two brothels, three sex shops and two lap dancing clubs in Soho were raided by more than 200 police in Soho yesterday.

At 9pm yesterday, officers in battle vans and helicopters started their raid after an 18-month undercover investigation to crackdown on human trafficking, drug dealing and sale of stolen goods.

According to the Standard, the police found women, mostly from Eastern Europe, working in “squalid” rooms above the premises. 

Commander Alison Newcomb of Westminster Police said: “Yes its edginess is why some people come here, but when they do come here we want them to be safe, not to be robbed, and enjoy their night out.”

She added: “This is not about the prosecution of prostitutes, this is about making the area safe. We do know a lot of the women are trafficked or are vulnerable so this is about taking the danger out of Soho.”