Men jailed over human trafficking

Ziqian Lui, Bochao Nan and Cheng Zhao Su were jailed on Friday

Three men have been jailed for their part in a human trafficking network which brought women from China into brothels in the UK.

Women were sent to work in Worcester, Kidderminster, Birmingham, Cheltenham and Leamington Spa, police said.

Cheng Zhao Su, 42, was jailed for four-and-a-half years at Hereford Crown Court.

Bochao Nan, 27, was sentenced to two years and nine months. Ziqian Lui, 24, was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

'Organised crime'

Cheng, from Weoley Castle Road, Weoley Castle, Birmingham, was given the sentence for controlling prostitution for gain and arranging and facilitating the arrival within the UK of a person for sexual exploitation.

Zigian was sentenced for the same offences while Bochao, whose address was given at an earlier hearing as HM Prison Hewell, in Redditch, Worcestershire, was sentenced for controlling prostitution for gain.

The women had been trafficked into brothels between October 2006 and September 2008, West Mercia Police said.

Det Insp Mark Loader, who headed the operation, said prostitution of this type was "a sophisticated, organised crime".

He added: "It is far from a victimless crime and there are a number vulnerable females at the heart of this lengthy inquiry."