[Cool Teen Sites]
Saturday, 21 April, 2001, 17:29 GMT 18:29 UK
Britons arrested in Prague child sex raids
Prague is notorious for its underage sex industry
Two Britons are under arrest in Prague following police action against a suspected
international paedophile ring.
A total of 87 people were arrested on Friday in nine late-night raids on gay clubs,
hostels and private homes in Prague.
Three Germans and one Czech have been charged with organising an illegal prostitution
ring. Two Britons were held for questioning.
The raids were the culmination of Operation Spider, a lengthy investigation by the Czech
police and the British National Criminal Intelligence Service.
Former DJ Chris Denning was jailed on child sex charges
Police believe there is an international paedophile ring in Prague supplying underage
prostitutes to sex tourists from the UK, Germany and the United States.
The Czech authorities also picked up 22 teenagers whose evidence may lead to further
arrests.
Hundreds of child porn videos and catalogues advertising child prostitutes have also been
seized.
A spokesman for the National Criminal Intelligence Service said its support was offered
because of the suspected involvement of British citizens.
"And because child prostitution is one of the most serious and sinister forms of
organised crime," he added.
Prague has a reputation as a centre for the sex industry.
Last year former Radio 1 DJ Chris Denning was jailed for four-and-a-half years in Prague
for having sexual contacts with under-aged teenage boys.