The New York Police Department (NYPD) has reportedly rounded up some of the 'madams' of a high-priced Asian prostitution ring, along with a pair of drug dealers, ahead of the Super Bowl, which will take place in New Jersey.
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL).
According to the New York Post, the investigators of New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and the NYPD rounded up eleven of the 18 madams of the operation and the drug dealers who supplied the prostitutes just days before the big game as tens of thousands of visitors flocked to the city.
A source said that the ring was specifically seeking to capitalize on the excitement around the Super Bowl, adding that along with New Yorkers, it also targeted those coming from out of town by sending text messages to prospective clients.
Schneiderman said that all of the women in custody are 'managers' of the ring and not street-level prostitutes themselves, adding that they are now interviewing the prostitutes in order to identify any victim of human trafficking and gain intelligence about their business transactions.
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Schneiderman also warned potential customers to avoid patronizing such illegal services before the Super Bowl and keep away from the temptations of Internet ads, cable TV spots and the racy texts, adding that those arrested were charged with conspiracy, sale of narcotics, promoting prostitution and money laundering.
The report mentioned that the ring allegedly used legitimate businesses including a limo service, clothing wholesaler and beauty supply company to launder money and lured clients with cocaine and other drugs as a package deal.
The operation was based in Manhattan, but also served Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens and several other states, the report added.
