Among those arrested in the raid on Monday were three Hong Kong residents accused of being ringleaders of the prostitution syndicate that smuggled the alleged sex workers into the city and arranged for them to work in two hotels, a motel, and two unlicensed massage parlors in the Yau Tsim Mong District, according to police.

The two men and one woman, aged 28 to 52, were arrested for attempting to control over persons for the purpose of prostitution, profiting from the earnings of sex workers, assisting unauthorized entrant, running a “vice establishment” and operating an unlicensed massage parlor.

Officers said 11 of the 12 arrested sex workers were smuggled into Hong Kong by syndicate members, while the other one entered Hong Kong legally but had breached her conditions of stay.

It was understood one of the ringleaders, a 38-year-old man surnamed Choi, was recruited into the syndicate after falling in love with a prostitute. He was said to have helped the syndicate with “business accounting”.

Around HK$100,000 of crime proceeds were also seized in the police operation.