A joint operation by Bulgarian and Spanish police cracked a women-trafficking ring in Spain’s Canary Islands, according to a media statement by Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry.

The police operation, called “Sofia”, was carried out after two years of investigations, the statement said.

Thirty-three people were arrested for women trafficking. Among those arrested were 15 Bulgarians, seven Spaniards and two Romanians.

The group organised the trafficking of women from Eastern Europe for prostitution. It enticed young Bulgarians who had financial problems by offering them legal jobs at high salaries. The group’s leader was a 35-year old Bulgarian known as Kiko, according to the statement.

The group promoted its business with business cards, announcements in the local and the national Spanish press, and a website.

The prostitution services were offered as “an unforgettable tourist trip to the Canary Islands”. The customers could use the services in a luxurious villa, a yacht or various places of entertainment.