Israel Police arrested seven individuals suspected of running a human trafficking ring, exploiting young women, and blackmail, police announced on Monday.
The Coastal District Police began a covert investigation into the ring months ago after suspicions regarding the suspects arose.
The investigation uncovered that the suspects exploited a network of young women, some of whom were disabled or struggling with financial issues and mental health.
According to Israel Police, the suspects lured the women in with false promises of office jobs and provided them housing, before advertising them on social media and forcing them to provide sexual services.
All of the suspects, including a man and a woman, who are the two main suspects, were arrested during raids on their homes on Sunday.
Tens of thousands of shekels in suspected blackmail money were found in the homes and seized by police during the raids.
Victims held without means of contacting outside world
According to a Walla report, victims were held in a situation where they "had no ability to do anything," with their passports and means of contacting the outside world withheld.
Judge Boris Sherman, who reviewed the investigation, told Walla that the ongoing investigation into the ring is complex and extensive, including dozens of substantial investigative actions.
He determined that there was a clear reason for the arrests as the suspects posed a danger to the peace and security of the victims and the public. He also ordered the investigation team at the Coastal Police Department to advance the investigation with particular priority.