Undercover police on Monday launched a sting operation against six Israelis suspected of forcing hearing- and speech-impaired people from Eastern Europe to beg for money on their behalf.
The victims apparently solicited money by presenting notes about their predicament and giving out toys.
The Israelis — among them three residents of Rishon Lezion, one from Ashkelon and another from Netanya — were taken in for questioning and 10 people were rescued from an apartment in the coastal town of Netanya and transferred to a safe house for victims of human trafficking.
In addition to trafficking, the six were suspected of false imprisonment, forced labor, assault, rape, withholding passports and conspiracy to commit a crime.
The police believe the 10 people rescued came from Eastern Europe on tourist visas that subsequently expired.
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They suspect the operators of the ring of housing the victims in apartments while illegally holding their passports, perpetrating violent crimes against them and taking a significant part of their money.
One of the suspects was accused of sexually assaulting one of the victims
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