German man charged with paedophilia, sex tourism in Brazil 29/10/2004 00:00

29 October 2004

RIO DE JANEIRO - A 41-year-old German man has been charged with running a sex tourism, prostitution and paedophilia operation in Brazil, according to police quoted Thursday in two Brazilian newspapers.

The man was arrested Monday in Fortaleza along with six other foreign nationals and four Brazilians, the newspapers O Povo und Diario do Nordeste reported. The foreign nationals - two Germans and four Italians - were released because of a lack of evidence. The Brazilians, all women, were also charged with participating in the operation.

Brazilian authorities say the operation is believed to have sent 500 women from Brazil to Europe and forced them into prostitution there. The operation, which authorities believe was run out of Berlin, also advertised on the internet, seeking clients for sex tourism in Frotaleza.

The internet postings included photos of naked children and minors, authorities said. One of the arrested women allegedly released photos of her 4-year-old daughter in erotic poses, a spokesman for the Brazilian police said.

The German man allegedly amassed a small fortune through his activities. Among his holdings are three beach apartments in Fortaleza, capital of the state of Ceara, and a bank account with a balance of more than EUR two million real (EUR 548,800), according to law enforcement authorities.

Police commissioner Eliomar Ferreira Lima Junior has been working closely with German diplomats, and he said he hoped the information that he has turned over to German authorities would lead to the arrest of the head of the operation.

Other suspects connected to the operation, including an Austrian man, were being sought, he said. The investigation is still in an early stage, according to officials, who suspect the operation also was involved in money laundering and selling drugs.

DPA

Subject: German news