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Sex TraffickingArchive 2008–2016

Sex Trafficking in Belfast & Londonderry, Northern Ireland (2009)

A sex trafficking case from 2009 in Belfast & Londonderry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

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Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don’t have a verifiable source on file yet. Know one?

What happened

Simon Dempsey (39) and Chen Rong (33) Both Simon Dempsey and Chen Rong have been charged for facilitating the UK arrival of Chinese girls for sex trafficking purposes. Dempsey, a former Police Service of Northern Ireland officer, acted as the enforcer while Rong acted as the "controller of the brothels". A group of 6 girls were rescued in Belfast & Londonderry, Northern Ireland. These girls were trafficked from China through a Chinese Mafia ring and have since been forced to work as sex slaves in England and now Northern Ireland. This operation has been a long time in the planning and have numerous partner agencies involved in bringing women over from China to work all across Europe. In this particular Northern Ireland case, the women were told they would be working as nannies/babysitters in the UK. Both Dempsey and Rong are now awaiting a final sentence.

Response and intervention

Local Police detectives and Police Service of Northern Ireland officers worked together to free the ensalved females and to capture any suspected criminals. They are now working on shutting down the larger sex trafficking ring the brothels were a part of. The brothels have been shut down in both Belfast and Londonderry and Police are now working to intervene in the larger prostitution ring these brothels were a part of. In order for police force to further intervene, Chen Rong was temporarily released to help police in investigating the widespread UK trafficking ring the brothels were linked to. The victims are being cared for under arrangements funded by the government with support from the Police Service and delivered by Women's Aid Federation (NI) and the Migrant Helpline. Police, Women's Aid Federation (NI) and the Migrant Helpline.

Sex Trafficking2011

Belfast, United Kingdom, 2011

United Kingdom GB

Eye-witnesses described how a number of police Land Rovers and unmarked police cars swept into King Street in Belfast city centre yesterday around 10am. In dramatic scenes they raided a large apartment block adjacent to the Ibis hotel and arrested two men, aged 22 and 29. One witness, who did not wish to be named, said the apartments were known to be a base for prostitutes, with clients visiting at all hours. Two of the women, both in their 20s, were rescued yesterday from the King Street apartment block and a property in nearby College Place North. The other four women were rescued over recent weeks during the three-month long PSNI investigation. A 24-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman were also arrested in Cavendish Street, off the Falls Road in west Belfast. One of the suspects is from Northern Ireland, the other three arrested are eastern European.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016
Forced Criminality2023

Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 2023

United Kingdom GB

Vulnerable women and children from Eastern Europe were trafficked into the UK and exploited by organized crime groups to commit large-scale shoplifting. Victims were housed in overcrowded accommodation and used to steal high-value retail goods for criminal networks.

1 source
Sex Trafficking2009

United Kingdom, United Kingdom, 2009

United Kingdom GB

6 traffickers involved...Ali Arslan, Edward Facuna, Roman Pacan, Mesut Aslan, Kosovan Martin, Valmin Gjetja. They were aged between 26-54 years old and were expected to have sold approximately 50 eastern european women.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016