Seven in court on brothel charges

Seven people have appeared in court in connection with a suspected multi-million-pound prostitution ring.

The four women and three men, who were arrested in London, Surrey and Gloucestershire, appeared at the City of Westminster Magistrates Court.

A man and a woman from Kingston Road, Leatherhead, are accused of smuggling women into Britain to staff brothels.

The five others face charges associated with prostitution. All were remanded to Southwark Crown Court until September.

Three Mercedes vehicles, including two classic models and a Vauxhall transporter, were seized along with £5,000 in cash at an address in Leatherhead.

Police also seized two Lamborghini sports cars from workshops in Dursley, Gloucestershire.

Operation Icefall

The man and woman were charged with conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for sexual exploitation, trafficking persons within the UK for sexual exploitation, conspiracy to control prostitution for gain, controlling prostitution for gain and money-laundering offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Two unemployed men from Kingston Road, Epsom, Surrey and Boyn Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire, face the same charges.

Two men from south-east London were both charged with conspiracy to control prostitution for gain and controlling prostitution for gain.

And a man from Grange Road, Chessington, Surrey was charged with conspiracy to control prostitution, controlling prostitution and money-laundering under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The arrests, part of Operation Icefall, were led by officers from the Metropolitan Police's clubs and vice unit.

Five of the accused were remanded in custody, while two were granted bail.

The seven are due back in court on 3 September.