Police have charged a Mount Gravatt East man and woman on multiple offences including sexual servitude following a protracted investigation by the Crime and Intelligence Command’s Prostitution Enforcement Taskforce.
On 4 February 2021 officers from the Prostitution Enforcement Taskforce, Upper Mount Gravatt Tactical Crime Squad, the dog squad, supported by specialist police units executed two search warrants on residential addresses in Mount Gravatt East and South Brisbane.
During the search, police located drugs, evidence to support sexual servitude and organised prostitution offences. Police also located covert recordings made of male clients and the victims engaged in sexual acts. The 35-year-old Mount Gravatt East man has been charged with 10 offences. The woman has been charged with 3 offences.
It will be alleged the man was keeping a number of women between the ages of 17 and 24 in conditions of servitude of unlawful prostitution. Police will further allege the women were given stupefying drugs, subject to controlled living, financial and work conditions and have also been tattooed as being his property.
Further investigations are being undertaken as police uncovered four women at the address when the search warrant at the Mount Gravatt East address was executed.
Detective Inspector Juliet Hancock, Officer-in-Charge of the Prostitution Enforcement Taskforce said investigations commenced in October 2020 following information from members of the public.
“The information received was that the women were being exploited by the male by being given stupefying drugs and forced into prostitution. The investigation is still on-going however the women are now safe thanks to the information from members of the public and the diligence of our officers.
“We believe there are other victims who have been exploited by the man and I encourage them to come forward and contact police.
“Police are working with community service providers to offer the victims any care and support they may seek,” Detective Inspector Hancock said.
The man was arrested and charged on 4 February 2021 with:
• Conducting a business involving servitude under the Commonwealth Criminal Code aggravated offence, victim under 18
• Conducting a business of unlawful prostitution under the Queensland Criminal Code
• Contravene Order under the Queensland Criminal Code
• Possession of Dangerous Drugs and Utensils under the Drugs Misuse Act
• Possession of Tainted Property Criminal Proceeds Confiscation Act 2002
• Recordings in Breach of Privacy under the Privacy Act
The woman was arrested and charged on 4 February 2021 with:
• Conducting a business of unlawful prostitution under the Queensland Criminal Code
• Contravene Order under the Queensland Criminal Code
The man and woman have been remanded in custody and are due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
