Sunshine Coast illegal brothels: Raids and illegal sex workers exposed
Dodgy massage parlours and sleazy motels are just a handful of illegal brothels that have been busted by Sunshine Coast detectives. See the list:
Police & Courts
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Startling crime data has revealed the dramatic increase of illegal prostitution across the Sunshine Coast in the last few decades.
Queensland Police statistics reveal illegal sex work has elevated from just one in September 2020 to 37 in September 27, 2021 coinciding with the wave of Covid restrictions.
The Sunshine Coast is no stranger to illegal sex work, with detectives raiding several illegal brothels over the last few decades.
These targeted operations have led to pimps, madams and sex workers being charged with multiple offences relating to illegal prostitution.
There are only a handful of brothels in Queensland that run legally after being certified through the Prostitution Licencing Authority.
Kunda Park’s Scarlet Harem is the Coast’s only legal brothel, with owner Michael Wang saying he estimates there are up to 17 illegal operations currently running in the region.
Mr Wang took over the prominent brothel 10 months ago, and said legal brothels such as his offer safety to his workers and customers.
He said this is done through camera coverage in all public areas, panic alarms for workers, and strict rules against illegal drugs.
“The ladies are contractors as well … it’s a mutual and equal business partnership,” he said.
“My job is to facilitate them and provide a good service for them and the clients.”
Mr Wang said he has witnessed illegal brothels in the past partake in “organised crime” by offering to pay for sex workers’ visas in exchange for their work.
He said some illegal brothels will try to offer different services at cheaper prices for customers, however this can in some instances put illegal sex workers in harm’s way.
The state government announced in August the decriminalisation of sex work in Queensland had been referred to the independent Law Reform Commission.
The Commission is tasked with undertaking a review and drafting legislation to decriminalise the industry which is hoped to remove barriers to workplace health and safety, and legal protections for sex workers.
#DecrimQLD Campaign Leader Janelle Fawkes told the Courier Mail the 20 licenced brothels in Queensland accounted for only 10 per cent of the industry in Queensland.
Venues operating outside the framework include massage parlours, sex worker cooperatives, BDSM parlours and escort agencies.
The Sunshine Coast Daily has conducted an investigation into the illegal sex trade across the region, showing locations of where dud brothels and sex workers have been busted and those charged and sentenced.
RAIDS
Eight charged in illegal brothel sting on Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore)
Prostitutes aged up to 50 but advertising themselves as “20-year-old bikini models” were among those arrested during a crackdown on illegal brothels on the Sunshine Coast in 2013.
In a three-day operation police targeted a Maroochydore townhouse and two motels being used by prostitutes of Chinese and Thai origin.
Police said eight women were arrested and would face a total of 14 charges.
These included knowingly participating in illegal prostitution and possession of tainted goods (mobile phones and cash).
The three illegal operations were connected and were believed to have been going for a few months.
Four women were sharing a townhouse, while three were in one motel and two in another.
The women placed ads in the local daily newspaper, some promoting themselves as 20-year-old bikini models.
They were believed to have been charging up to $150 an hour for their services.
The eight women faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court on March 18, 2013.
Three arrested after raid on dodgy ‘massage parlour’ (Maroochydore)
A raid on a business in Maroochydore in 2018 resulted in three people being charged in relation to unlawful prostitution allegedly being carried out on the Sunshine Coast for several months in 2018.
Detectives from the Sunshine Coast criminal investigation branch and the State Crime Command Prostitution Enforcement Taskforce executed a search warrant at a property in Maroochydore as part of Operation Quebec Dame.
As a result a 51-year-old man and two women were arrested.
It was alleged the premises was operating falsely under the guise of a massage parlour and that police identified a number of women as having recently worked there unlawfully.
A Mount Coolum man was charged with two counts of knowingly participating in the provision of prostitution, and one count each of knowingly carrying on the business of providing unlawful prostitution and having an interest in premises uses for the purposes of prostitution.
He was bailed to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on November 23, 2018.
The two women were charged with engaging in prostitution through an unlawful prostitution business and were bailed to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on November 15, 2018.
Ex-Noosa Detective, QPS Commissioner, recalls sex ring raids (Maroochydore)
There was more than just illegal gambling on the minds of law enforcement officers in the region in the 1980s.
A series of escort agencies operating around the Coast were fronts for prostitution rings.
Former Queensland Police Commissioner and ex-Noosa Detective Bob Atkinson was among the team of police in Nambour and Maroochydore who set about breaking up the region’s illicit sex trade.
In April, 1984, another operation was carried out looking into a Maroochydore escort agency.
The woman running the businesses was arrested, charged and convicted on both prostitution-related charges.
Further raids were carried out in Sixth Ave, Maroochydore, in 1985, after three escort agencies were linked to the unit.
SENTENCED
Yan Jiang cops hefty fine for operating an illegal brothel (Mooloolaba)
A 53-year-old brothel boss who managed prostitutes while running an illegal brothel from a Mooloolaba motel copped nearly $6,000 worth of fines for her involvement.
Yan Jiang, who was 52 at the time, was found to be managing two prostitutes after detectives in December 2020 closed an investigation into illegal sex work at Mooloolaba.
Jiang pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on March 22 to six charges including having an interest in premises used for the purposes of prostitution, knowingly carrying on the business of providing unlawful prostitution, knowingly participating in prostitution and possessing tainted property.
Jiang was fined $5,900 for the offences, with no convictions recorded.
Jia Meng, 46, and Linli Gao, 33, pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on January 28 to two charges of possessing tainted property and one charge of engaging in prostitution through an unlawful prostitution business.
Both were fined $3000 and had convictions recorded.
‘Pimp’ jailed over illegal prostitution (Maroochydore)
A 52-year-old Mount Coolum man was jailed after he pleaded guilty to a number of charges relating to illegal prostitution.
Mount Coolum Stephen Glen Chapman was charged with two counts of knowingly participating in the provision of prostitution, and one count each of knowingly carrying on the business of providing unlawful prostitution and having an interest in premises uses for the purposes of prostitution.
At Maroochydore Magistrates Court, Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist convicted Chapman and sentenced him to two years‘ imprisonment, with parole set for September 2019.
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