Hungarian man arrested over alleged trafficking and pimping

A 30-year-old Hungarian man was arrested in an illegally operated brothel in St Pölten on Monday over allegations that he forced two women into prostitution, ORF reported. Upper Austria’s State Criminal Police Office is continuing its investigation.

Police suspect the man recruited the women, aged 31 and 41, in Hungary and brought them to Austria after exploiting their precarious financial circumstances. The women are alleged to have worked in prostitution in Austria, particularly in Linz.

According to police, the women had to pay for their own accommodation, advertisements on relevant websites and contraceptives. Investigators say the suspect made a high five-figure sum from exploiting them.

The man, his partner and one of the women were located and arrested in St Pölten. He denied the pimping allegations and partially admitted to the alleged cross-border trafficking for prostitution. He was taken to Linz prison.