DUBAI // A Filipino gang who trafficked and forced five women to work in the sex industry had their jail sentences upheld by the Appeals Court this morning.
The court upheld the five year sentence for the gang leader JS, 39, and the three year terms for her three female accomplices DJ, 24, JK, 26, and PA, 23. But it increased the sentence for her male accomplice ML, 36, from three years to five.
The gang would offer women in the Philippines work in Dubai as waitresses and saleswomen, but kidnap them on their arrival and force them into prostitution.
One of the victims, a 25-year-old Filipina, was befriended on Facebook and offered a job as a saleswoman, but on her arrival was taken to a flat in Al Muraqqabat where she was locked up with four other women. The five of them were told they would have to prostitute themselves and were then taken by the gang to hotels to have sex with customers.
"I agreed with the girls that any one of us who could escape either from the apartment or from the hotel where they took us to work should head to the police right away," recalled the Filipina.
Later that day one of the women managed to escape from a hotel and reported the gang to police, leading officers to the brothel in Al Muraqqabat.
The gang were found guilty on charges that included human trafficking, running a brothel and working in prostitution.
The Appeals Court also upheld a deportation order against all five members of the gang.
salamir@thenational.ae
