Thai women were forced to sell sex, cops say

The Cook County sheriff’s police detained three women from Thailand on suspicion they had been coerced to engage in prostitution across the U.S. in the last three weeks as part of an international prostitution ring.

The women said operators of the ring confiscated their passports, demanded $60,000 for their return and then forced them into prostitution in San Francisco, New York, Texas and Chicago.

In an interview Friday, Sheriff Tom Dart said the women were victims and won’t be charged. They were turned over to Thai officials.

Read more: Chicago Tribune