Eight women who were victims of sexual exploitation by an international trafficking network operating out of the Algarve region have been freed across the border in Spain, following a joint operation by Spanish and Portuguese authorities.
The police operation, codenamed Aurélia-Belona, was carried out in cooperation with Spain’s Guardia Civil, the Mossos d’Esquadra, and Portugal’s Polícia Judiciária (PJ). It resulted in the arrest of three individuals, including a couple believed to have led the organisation from the Algarve, according to the Spanish news agency EFE, citing official sources.
The couple, a 44-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, both foreign nationals, were detained in Boliqueime, Loulé municipality, under European arrest warrants issued on suspicion of human trafficking in Spain, the PJ said at the time.
During house searches conducted by Portuguese investigators, authorities seized “items relevant to the ongoing investigation”, as well as drugs, including cannabis plants, and a significant quantity of ammunition for prohibited-calibre firearms.
A third suspect was arrested in Lleida, Spain. According to Spanish police, this individual was responsible for monitoring the victims while they were held on Spanish territory.
The dismantled network is believed to have lured vulnerable women from South America, in some cases relying on paramilitary structures to ensure their transit. One victim was reportedly transported through several Asian countries before arriving in Spain, where she continued to be exploited across different provinces, EFE reported.
The investigation began in 2024 and culminated in simultaneous raids in Lleida, Tudela (Navarra), and Irun (Gipuzkoa) in Spain, as well as in Portugal’s Faro district. Eight women from various South American countries were rescued and are now receiving specialised support in line with anti-human trafficking protocols.
In addition to €3,800 in cash, the authorities seized electronic devices, ammunition, narcotics, and various documents and materials deemed relevant to the case, according to EFE.
In Portugal, the two alleged ringleaders also face charges of drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms. The Barcelona Court of Instruction has ordered pre-trial detention for all three suspects.
Authorities have described the operation as a major step in tackling transnational crime linked to sexual exploitation on the Iberian Peninsula, highlighting how trafficking networks operate across borders using complex routes to move victims. Investigators emphasised that international cooperation was crucial in dismantling a criminal scheme that had been active for more than a year.
