Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jan 2014
Source: Daily Mail (UK)
Copyright: 2014 Associated Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/108
Note: by Daily Mail Reporter

GANG BEHIND SUPER BOWL 'PARTY PACKS' OF PROSTITUTES AND DRUGS FOR
THOUSANDS ARRESTED DAYS BEFORE THE BIG GAME

Officials say 18 people are being rounded up in New York City on
allegations they sold 'party packs' of cocaine and sex to high-end
clients ahead of the Super Bowl.

They say surveillance shows the ring laundered money and credit cards
through clothing, wig, beauty supply and limousine businesses and
targeted wealthy out-of-town customers, especially during large events.

Prostitutes would bring cocaine to clients who ordered the so-called
party packs.

Officials say 18 people are being rounded up in New York City on
allegations they sold 'party packs' of cocaine and sex to high-end
clients ahead of the Super Bowl.

They say surveillance shows the ring laundered money and credit cards
through clothing, wig, beauty supply and limousine businesses and
targeted wealthy out-of-town customers, especially during large events.

Prostitutes would bring cocaine to clients who ordered the so-called
party packs.

ABC 7 reports that an apartment building on 6th Avenue and 37th
Street-very close to the area designated 'Super Bowl Boulevard'-
served as one of the bases of operations.

Five people were arrested in the building, four of whom allegedly
appeared to be prostitutes.

The raids took place late Wednesday and early Thursday and the ring
operators were brought in and processed at the 7th precinct in
Manhattan's Lower East Side.

The New York Daily News reports that some of the operators took
advantage of the 'johns' willingness to meet with the prostitutes by
sending multiple women to each client at each time.

That trick landed a number of the men with billings for single
sessions that cost upwards of $10,000.

Aside from the texts to known clients, the operators also allegedly
used commercials on public access television and internet ads to
appeal to out-of-towners.

'Drug trafficking and prostitution are a scourge on communities across
our state,' Attorney General Schneiderman said in a statement.

'My office will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement
on multi-agency investigations like this one to take down networks of
criminals who exploit women and poison our communities for profit.'

This ring is just one of many prostitution busts that have taken place
in New York ahead of the big football game, as The New York Times
reports that 298-prostitution arrests were reported from the first of
this month through the 16th. That marks a 30 per cent increase from
that same time period last year.

[photograph captions]

- - On the lookout: The prostitution ring has been the center of an
investigation for the past 11 months but they allegedly ramped up
their operations in the weeks ahead of the Super Bowl.(Reuters)

- - Center of it all: A number of busts have been made throughout the
city, including one Wednesday night that took place just blocks from
the area in Times Square that is being called Super Bowl Boulevard
(Rick Davis/ Splash News)

- - Arrested: A second prostitution bust came Wednesday night as police
arrested four alleged prostitutes and one man just blocks from Super
Bowl Boulevard. (ABC7)
- ---
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