GENEVA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A Swiss court has sentenced a 58-year old Thai woman to more than 10 years in jail in one of the biggest human trafficking cases in Switzerland, Swiss media reported Wednesday.
The woman was found guilty on 75 counts of smuggling mostly poor and uneducated Thai women into the country, according to the regional court of Biel/Bienne, the Swiss News Agency, SDA-ATS, reported.
The defendant was also sentenced for several other crimes, including the promotion of prostitution and money laundering.
Announcing the verdict on July 10, the presiding judge said the defendant had run a complex, professionally structured and inhumane scheme in several regions of Switzerland between 2009 and 2014 when she was arrested.
The prosecution said most of the victims were aware they would be employed as sex workers in Switzerland but were not prepared for the extremely harsh conditions, and that they were forced to pay back travel debts.
The court heard that many victims were forced to be available 24 hours a day and to repay up to 30,000 Swiss francs (30,000 U.S. dollars) in debts.
The defendant admitted partial guilt during the 10-day trial.
Several similar prostitution rings have come to light in recent years, but experts believe the problem is much bigger than what has been uncovered, Swissinfo, the website of the Swiss national broadcaster reported.
Prostitution is a regulated trade in Switzerland monitored by local authorities, but trafficking, forcing people into prostitution and most forms of pimping are illegal.
