A former police officer in Northern Ireland and a woman have been remanded in custody charged with human trafficking and controlling prostitution.
The accused, who appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court this morning, are 39-year-old Simon Dempsey, from Newtownards in Co Down, and Chen Rong, 32, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire in England.
Both are alleged to have facilitated the arrival of people in the UK, knowing a sexual offence would be committed.
The charges relate to operation Sleek, carried out by the PSNI.
Last Thursday, officers raided a number of suspected brothels in Belfast, Derry and Newry and rescued six women, all thought to be Chinese, who it is believed had been forced to work as prostitutes by a Chinese criminal gang.
The women are being cared for by specialist officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
Police opposed bail for either of the accused, because the detective said he feared both Ms Rong and Mr Dempsey would flee the country, and interfere with identified and as yet unidentified victims.
A solicitor for Chen Rong claimed the accused had herself been a prostitute before being used by sinister people, while Simon Dempsey’s lawyer claimed Ms Rong had duped him and that in fact he knew nothing about the women being used as prostitutes.
The magistrate refused bail for both defendants and they were remanded in custody until 26 June.
