Detectives have raided an address in Tooting as part of a major operation across London cracking down on organised crime groups working in the illegal sex industry.

Five officers arrested a Thai woman at the unnamed address on Thursday and police were still questioning her and liaising with the immigration service as the Guardian went to press.

More than 30 premises across the capital were targeted over 24 hours last week in a series of co-ordinated raids, and 13 women and two men believed to be involved in the sex industry were detained.

The Tooting suspect is one of seven women from Thailand arrested in the Operation Maxim raids, with a number of others originating from Eastern Europe.

Head of the specialist crime directorate, assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, said: "This is the start of a concerted effort to take out these criminals and generally make it very difficult for them to operate in London."

Operation Maxim will see intelligence officers working beside the immigration service to infiltrate criminals in the UK illegally and those involved in trafficking.

April 30, 2003 10:00