Paradise Towers in Surfers Paradise raided in illegal prostitution probe
A Surfers Paradise high-rise has been raided by police investigating illegal prostitution and sex trafficking. But an apartment manager says there was ‘nothing to find’.
Crime and Court
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A SURFERS Paradise high-rise has been raided as part of an operation targeting illegal prostitution.
Queensland Police, Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Border Force (ABF) officers raided the unit complex this month, searching an office and several apartments in Paradise Towers.
Property was seized and officers spoke to a number of people, including an apartment manager, Peter Nissen, who told the Bulletin yesterday: “We opened up our office willingly and showed them. They searched for everything and couldn’t find anything.’’
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It is understood the AFP and ABF were involved in the operation to investigate claims of sex trafficking and slavery.
Sources have told the Bulletin the investigations to this point have not uncovered any links to a sex trafficking trade.
In a statement, Queensland Police said the operation is ongoing.
“On Friday, May 10, officers from the Queensland Police Service, Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force attended a high-rise building at Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise, as part of an ongoing joint operation targeting illegal prostitution,” the statement read.
No one has been charged.
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The Paradise Towers complex is at the centre of a messy body corporate dispute, in which five men are being sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars in a defamation claim by long-time unit owner Peter Nissen, who owns multiple apartments.
Mr Nissen claims in documents filed with the Southport District Court that a website and flyers distributed in the lead-up to a body corporate meeting accused him of promoting Paradise Towers as a commercial brothel.
In an exclusive interview with the Bulletin, Mr Nissen denied any wrongdoing and said he fully co-operated with police when they came knocking on May 10.
“We do not have any passports, we do not have any immigration papers, we do not procur anybody, we lease units,” he said.
“There have been no charges, no passports were found, no immigration documents were found, no nothing.
“As if I would lock people in a unit and force them into that trade, this is really offensive.
“They asked for keys to a couple of units, I willingly gave them the keys, they came back and there was nothing to find.”
He said he did not expect to be charged and had not heard from police in the two weeks since the raid.
“I don’t aid and abet. If someone asks for a roll of toilet paper we give it, but we do not procur, we do not advertise, we do not solicit. I don’t do anything.
“They took away two mobile phones, which is fine. They brought them back a few hours later.
“To the best of my ability and knowledge, no one was apprehended. To this day I have not heard anything.
“I absolutely am (innocent). I spoke with my heart and soul and gave every answer that was asked of me.”
Mr Nissen said he did not know if there was a prostitution ring working inside the high-rise.
“We don’t have control over what people do in the apartment,’’ he said.
“I honestly don’t know (if prostitution is happening in Paradise Towers), it may be foolish to state these things in the press when I don’t know.
“What can I say when two guys lease a unit with a double bed? What can I say if there’s two ladies and one gentleman want a queen-sized bed, what can I say? I do not partake in anything.”
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