KITCHENER -- Seven people are facing charges after they were accused of being part of a sex trade organization than spanned nine Ontario cities.
Provincial police say the group moved victims between apartments in Kitchener, London, Ottawa, Kingston, Belleville, Oshawa, Peterborough, Sarnia and Sudbury.
All of victims were providing sexual services to clients who had allegedly responded to online advertisements.
OPP say they’ve arrested seven people: YaHong Qu, 51, from Markham; Daniel Ottenbrite, 63, from East Gwillimbury; Li Xiong, 58, from Georgina; Wayne Rodness, 62, from Georgina; Shu Rong Sun, 57, from Markham; Po Wah Ng, 42, from Scarborough; Zhi Shan Cao, 25, from Markham.
A total of 32 charges have been laid by OPP, including: recruiting, holding, or harbouring persons providing sexual services, knowingly advertising sexual services and laundering the proceeds of a crime.
Police also seized four vehicles and took over four properties while conducting search warrants as part of their investigation, which was named “Project Crediton.”
They say they worked with police services in each city, as well as the Canadian Border Services Agency and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada.
All of the victims have been provided with support through victim services agencies.
None of the allegations against the accused have been proven in court.
