A certain apartment complex in South San Francisco allegedly had a brothel operating out of one of the units, and a 65-year-old woman has been arrested and is being accused of serving as its madame.
The South San Francisco Police Department’s Criminal Interdiction Unit had been receiving tips for weeks that someone was running a brothel out of an apartment unit in that town. They said in a news release that they “conducted a surveillance operation and were able to substantiate reports” that this was indeed the case. So KTVU reports the department raided the alleged brothel last Thursday, found $10,000 in cash laying around, and arrested one person on pimping and pandering charges.
But surprisingly, the suspect arrested on pimping charges is a 65-year-old woman, according to the Bay Area News Group. The Chronicle identifies her as Xiuli Wei of Los Angeles County’s Rowland Heights, and per the police department's news release, she was “determined to be assisting in the management and daily operations of the brothel and directly benefited from its proceeds.”
Wei has been booked into San Mateo County Jail.
When police served the search warrant, they say they found two trafficking victims, and two alleged “sex buyers.” It’s not mentioned in the release whether the alleged sex buyers were taken into custody or charged.
But according to the police department, “The survivors were debriefed and offered services.”
While at least one arrest has been made, this is still an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Criminal Interdiction Unit at [email protected], or the South San Francisco Police Department directly at (650) 877-8900.
Image: Police units respond on scene. (Getty Images)
