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13 arrested in prostitution purge
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Posted on Dec 10 1998
Police combed Garapan Tuesday night, arresting 13 people in a spirited start of a crackdown on prostitution.
Acting Department of Public Safety Commissioner Clyde Norita said the 13 were arrested for violation of the anti-prostitution law, which prohibits people from acts construed to be soliciting sex.
Norita said the 13 — eight women and five men, mostly Chinese — were seen clutching the arms of male passersby in what seems to be an act of courting paid sex.
The arrest began at 11:00 p.m., shortly after a heavy rain stopped, and went on until yesterday morning.
Case agent PO2 Eric Mafnas said a team of undercover agents from the Special Investigation Surveillance Unit surveyed the area for three weeks before Tuesday night’s operation.
Mafnas said women in sexy attire stand flirtatiously in display on hotel streets in Garapan as night settles in and as the lights from the clubs around flicker into life.
He said male pimps sometimes present a photo collection of women to potential clients, mostly Japanese tourists.
Potential customers then thumb through the photos, and then off they go if the women’s looks suit their liking.
“People are complaining. These women would just grab them by the arms before they enter bars. HANMI (the Hotel Association of the Northern Marianas) too has complained that some of their guests have been victimized by this (illegal activity),” he said.
Norita said Tuesday night’s operation is just the beginning of the crackdown on prostitution. He hoped to be able to pin down possible ring leaders with the arrests.
“I hope they will cooperate,” he said.
The 13 appeared in court yesterday afternoon for a bail hearing. They faced a misdemeanor crime, which is bailable.
Officials said the flourishing flesh trade in Garapan has been a setback to the CNMI tourist industry.
