Brothel Gang Taken Down In Estepona

This is the moment cops swoop on the Malaga hideout of a drugs gang that branded women like cattle and forced them to work in brothels across Europe.

The bust came in a joint operation between the Spanish police and Europol and was carried out in the town of Estepona in the province of Malaga in southern Spain, with the authorities sharing this footage of the raid.

The authorities had been investigating the gang, which allegedly operates in Poland, Spain and Denmark, for six months.

Local media report the gang are wanted in Poland for murder and human trafficking, among other crimes, and that the thugs allegedly tattooed women to brand them like cattle before forcing them to work in brothels.

Spanish police raided a property in Malaga which allegedly belongs to the gang and in the video officers can be seen cutting down a huge cannabis farm.

Blocks of cannabis resin can also be seen and officers can be seen putting two of the suspects into a patrol car.

Five suspects were arrested in Spain in the bust and a further two were detained in Poland.

Those arrested in Spain are under suspicion of belonging to a criminal organisation and are said to have been wanted in Poland for murder, human trafficking, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation.

The nationality of those arrested is not known, but the gang is said to have worked from the Costa del Sol up to Denmark as well as in Poland. It is unclear where the brothels the woman were forced to work in are located.

In the bust in Malaga, 2,533 cannabis plants were seized, as well as 220 kilogrammes of hashish, a hydroponic cannabis crop and thousands of euros in cash.

Reports state the gang were known to be armed with knives, machetes and bats and have operated since 2009.

The case is ongoing and it is unclear if the suspects have been charged.