Following the case of a 54-year man who was jailed for operating a brothel in Ballyconnell, Gardai are reminding people that purchasing such services is committing a criminal offence. Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro was jailed for nine years for running brothels around the country, including Ballyconnell. Detective Superintendent Derek Maguire was a member of the investigating team for the Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro brothel case.
Speaking on this morning's Joe Finnegan Show, he said Gardaí have witnessed an increase in people being exploited into the sex trade right across Ireland. As a result, he is asking members of the public to report any suspicions of something like this happening in their community which can lead Gardaí to rescue victims from the danger they're in. He also reminded individuals that those purchasing sexual services from women are committing an offence, and could be prosecuted, especially if the woman is a victim of human trafficking:
