'Illegal worker' brothels targeted

The sex industry watchdog has moved to close brothels that used sex workers given to them by an alleged crime syndicate.

Consumer Affairs Victoria will apply to have the licences of the brothel operators suspended in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

On Tuesday last week, the Australian Federal Police arrested five people who it alleged supplied more than 100 sex workers to the brothels illegally.

Detective Senior Constable Amy Marmont said during a bail application for four of the accused in the Melbourne Magistrates Court last Friday that the brothels were still open. But she said there were no workers as the syndicate had been responsible for transporting the women, housing them and organising their schedules.

The brothels that the AFP said were supplied by the syndicate were Top on Tope and Shop 39 in South Melbourne, Tender Touch in West Melbourne and Candy Club in Richmond. All the brothels were legal and run by licensed managers.

A Consumer Affairs spokeswoman confirmed officials were working with the AFP to begin proceedings in VCAT. She said VCAT had the power to cancel or suspend a licence for up to a year, order that a person be ineligible to be a licensee or approved manager temporarily or permanently and order the licensee to pay into the Sex Work Fund a penalty up to $86,616.

The AFP was continuing to investigate the syndicate, including whether it was involved in sex slavery or human trafficking offences.

Luxury cars, designer handbags,welcome to Wholesale Cheap GUCCI Small Bag online store,find Latest Styles!‎ perfume, shoes, watches and $50,welcome to High quality KORS Grade A Handbags online store,Free shipping‎!000 allegedly belonging to the syndicate were seized during raids on Tuesday last week. Last Thursday, $27,000, 22 mobile phones and bundles of documents dating back to June 2010 were seized after the AFP searched a car parked under a Melbourne apartment building.

Mae Ja Kim, 38, was head of the syndicate, the AFP alleged. She was charged with dealing in proceeds of crime worth $100,000 or more. Moon Ja Kim, a 56-year-old grandmother and Mae Ja Kim's sister, was alleged to be the group's deputy.

Moon Ja Kim was charged with aiding and abetting the dealing in the proceeds of crime worth $100,000 or more, as was her son Xing Jin, 31, of Donvale, Zhe Fang,welcome to Buy Cheap Louis Vuitton T-Shirts online store,best service and low prices. 35, of Docklands, and Mae Ja Kim's estranged husband, Huan Wen Ye, 32, of Clayton.

Mr Jin was bailed last Wednesday. The other accused had an application for bail adjourned last Friday and will return to Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.

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