Chinese Brothel at Aragon 429 In Armed Robbery

For a few years theres been a Chinese brothel at Aragon 429 in Barcelona. Everybody who watches or participates in the brothel scene in Barcelona knows about it with dozens o adverts in Loquo, LaVanguardia, El Pais etc, forum entries and so on, just google for the address Arago 429 (Català) or Aragon 429 (Spanish).

We say Chinese but in their adverts they often say oriental, it sounds a bit more exotic from a marketing perspective, similar to being served under cooked fish in a sea food restaurant and upon complaining being told its Sushi.

Anyway, despite having been raided at least once by the police and immigration officials(along with Consell de Cent 477, Gran Via 665,  Paral·lel 169, Muntaner 10, Sepúlveda 36, València 305,  Campo Florido 19, avenida Gaudí 66, Nàpols 206 and Rocafort 124.) this place, typical of so many similar "oriental" brothels in Barcelona stays open, it stays operating yet stays in that gray area of legality. Its not licensed, its not regulated and apart from the odd police raid theres nothing Ive seen or read to suggest that the girls in there are happily working with all of their papers in order. 

Anyone could guess at the odds of the owners declaring VAT or IVA on their income, we can only imagine if the operators pay taxes and if it turned out that the girls were'nt properly contracted then obviously social security wouldnt come into it. Far be it from me to suggest without documentary proof that the girls are working non too happily for some Chinese gangster but lets face it, they wouldnt be wanting to invite the local bobby on the beat in for cup of tea either.

So when a gang of Romanian armed robbers need places to rob where theres stacks of cash and little chance of the police being called in a hurry why not head for the illegal brothels? You cant get caught if theyre not looking for you and they cant look for you if its not reported. Its simply a consequence of these places being off the legal radar.

The whole affair is quite tragic, the reports dont mention injuries inside the whorehouse (could be theyre not wanting to speak to the police or they all disappeared before more police arrived) but two police were shot. The reporter at LaVanguardia suggests that this is one of many robberies which only came to light due to the neighbours calling the police.

So assuming your an illegal brothel owner wouldnt it be worth investing in a gun to defend yourself and hey, lets just shoot it out if anyone turns up?  Crime breads crime.

Lets look at the legal places or a moment to see the point I'm making here. If you're a legal and licensed club you would (in Barcelona at least) have a panic button/silent alarm to the police which would be common knowledge, making it a lot riskier to try and rob. Plus the (unconfirmed) issue of police visiting for their off duty inspections.

My point again on this blog is simple, legalise brothels, not to promote prostitution but to protect the girls and to take a few billion a year out of the black economy which encourages auxiliary crime and trafficking. Get the punters paying the cash in legal places where the girls are legal and hit the traffickers in the pocket.