Police raid central Tel Aviv brothels
Law enforcement officials shut down 27 brothels in metropolitan's old central bus depot, arrest 47 prostitutes. Tel Aviv District Police chief to issues administrative warrants ordering they remain permanently closed
The Tel Aviv police shut down all of the city's brothels over the weekend. Border Guard and police officers form the Jaffa police station raided some 27 brothels in Tel Aviv's "red light district," arrested 47 prostitutes and closed all of the venues.
Tel Aviv District Police Commander Major-General Ilan Franco was expected to sign administrative warrants ordering the brothels' permanent closure later on Sunday.
Moshe Edry, chief of the Yiftah District, said that the 58 brothels in the area under his command have been a magnet for criminal activity.
Edry claims that once these establishments are gone, the thousands of patrons frequenting them from the greater Tel Aviv area, Ramla, Lod and east Jerusalem, will have no reason to visit the area, thus bringing the crime rate down.
Edry had previously cracked down on the area's drug dealers, who operated on and near the brothels' district in Tel Aviv's old central bus depot; arresting 140 drug dealers since the beginning of the year.
As for the red light district, one prostitute told Yedioth Ahronoth that "the world can't exist without hookers. This won't help the police." Another reiterated the sentiment, saying that "people have to have sex, just like they have to breathe."
Zohar Shahar Levy contributed to this report
