PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police detectives spent Wednesday night in Banksville cracking down on human trafficking and prostitution.
“Police are definitely concerned about people forcing other people coercing them into a lifestyle they don’t want to be in,” said Chris Togneri, a spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Safety.
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Ten people were taken into custody and charged with prostitution and related crimes.
Most of the suspects live far outside the city, in surrounding counties, but all were accused of prostitution-related offenses, including transporting the women for sex.
They were arrested during an undercover detail -- caught after answering ads on websites like Skip the Games and Escort Alligator.
It wasn’t just the women who were allegedly selling sex who were arrested, but the people who brought them to the hotels.
“The goal of these operations is not necessarily to get crack down on prostitution but to get to the people responsible for human trafficking but for forcing and coercing people into a life of prostitution," Togneri said.
One woman who was charged with transporting her own niece for sex told police she knew what she was doing was wrong but she drove her niece there to make money.
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