Brazil News
RIO DE JANEIRO – Police in Fortaleza detained 50 foreign tourists and closed a nightclub suspected of hosting underage prostitutes early Saturday. The operation to combat the sexual exploitation of minors by foreigners occurred in the Praia de Iracema area of Fortaleza, capital of the northeastern state of Ceara.
The operation involved about 100 military and civilian police, 50 federal police officers, and teams made of other municipal authorities. It began late Friday night and continued into the early hours of Saturday.
Those arrested were drinking in bars in the company of Brazilian women, but without carrying identification or passports. Police say Italians made up most the detained foreigners, along with a handful of French, one Belgium and two Chinese.
Police took the detainees to the Tourist Protection Police unit (Deprotur) where they will have to pay a fine and produce passports. Prostitution is legal in Brazil as long as all parties are over 18 years old and no third-party profits.
The same operation closed a nightclub suspected of child prostitution. The establishment operated without a license. Police also conducted searches for weapons and drugs but found none.
