Thursday, July 19, 2007

Police uncover 25 girls in nightclubs in Tetovo area

A total of 25 young women - Macedonian and foreign citizens - have been transferred to Human Trafficking Victims Shelter in Skopje following police raids in two nightclubs in Tetovo area.

The girls have been working in Oriental As club in Tetovo's village of Zerovjane and in club in Gostivar's village of Cegrene. Their status was non-regulated.

The police are yet to establish whether the girls - 11 Albanian, nine Bulgarian, two Serbian citizens, two from Skopje and one from Gostivar - have been trafficked and forced to prostitution, Interior Ministry said.

Few months ago, the police conducted a raid in Oriental As club and uncovered 10 girls, who were later brought to transit center. They refused to testify on suspected involvement in prostitution, and the police could do nothing more as the surveillance camera footage that was seized was allegedly empty.

During the raid, the police reported that two police officers not on duty were present in the club. The police were to explain their presence in the club.

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