A recent story reported that Brazil is cracking down on “sex tourists.” Brazilian police raided clubs known for using call girls and strippers, detaining 118 foreigners to discourage that brand of tourism.
The tourists - mostly from Portugal, Spain, Italy, France and Norway - were briefly held in the northeastern city of Natal for not carrying passports or international identification cards that Brazil requires of all foreigners, police told the Star Telegram. The tourists were fined $76 and released.
Luiz Pereira, a federal police officer, said the country hoped the operation will help discourage tourists who think sexual tourism is easy in Brazil.
The story continued by saying that more than 70 federal agents raided two nightclubs known for using strippers and call girls to attract tourists, Pereira said. Police detained 118 tourists in the raids in Natal, 1,520 miles northeast of Sao Paulo, he said.
Prostitution is legal in Brazil, but people who promote sex tourism can be charged.
Some of the detained had expired visas and were ordered to leave the country within eight days, police told reports..
The story concluded by saying that police have conducted similar operations in recent months in Natal. In one raid, six Italian men were arrested on charges of owning prostitution houses aimed at tourists.
