WOMEN in the UK are being tricked into becoming sex workers in the seedy and disturbing world of 'pop-up' brothels.
Exploitative pimps coerce or trick vulnerable women overseas into coming to Britain, only to put them up in temporary rented accommodation and force them into sex work.
Even AirBnBs and other tourist rentals have been used to house trafficked prostitutes.
According to police the women tend to be between 19 and 30 years old and of South East Asian or Eastern European origin.
Humberside Police say that 'pop-up' brothels have been on the rise since before the pandemic and are trying to crack down on the issue.
Detective Sergeant Rich Kirk, who is leading the force's efforts, said: "“We want to get the message out there that this is happening, usually in private rented properties and Airbnbs.
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"These properties are being used for anything from three days to a couple of weeks. The landlords and owners do not know their properties are being used in this way. There is such a transient element to this which makes it so difficult to police.
"We want to alert landlords and property owners about what is happening. We also want the curtain twitchers to get on board. If neighbours see something unusual then we want them to get in touch as this provides important intel for us."
DS Kirk went on to give an example of the signs of a pop-up brothel that the public can look out for.
These include strangers coming and going on a regular basis or new renters turning up with nothing but a single suitcase or bag of clothes.
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The force apparently examined one property recently after a cleaner found a number of condoms around the place, another key indicator.
DS Kirk was also quick to emphasise the safety of the women, even in the context of how police respond to brothels.
He said: "If we ever target a property we do it in plain clothes and with unmarked police cars.
"A lot of the women we come across don’t want to speak to us because they don’t want to get into trouble or sent back home. But we are here to safeguard them. We tend to get other agencies involved who the women might feel more comfortable speaking to.
"We also don’t go after the customers… If we start arresting everyone then the women will clam up."
Cops report that a number of tactics are used by exploitative gangs to force women into the work.
For example, one tactic said to be favoured by Eastern European gangs is for a pimp to start a relationship with a women before suggesting a trip to the UK.
However, when they get there the unsuspecting victims are often beaten, raped and forced into prostitution, according to DS Kirk.
While it's a thankless task and a daily struggle, the senior officer is certain it is worthwhile.
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He finished by saying: "We want to be the good guys and be able to save these women. While it can be frustrating when support is refused, we thrive on helping them. We feel good about that and it is our motivation.
"I have been in the force for more than 17 years and this is the most rewarding role I have had."
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