By Tony Wall
An Auckland massage parlour owner who employs Thai immigrants says the trade in women is alive and well in the New Zealand sex industry.
Bill Smith, who owns clubs and parlours in the Fort St red-light district, said two Thai women had arrived at Auckland Airport as recently as
Monday and were put straight to work in massage parlours.
"There is a major flow and trade in these girls ... very few if any would be entitled to work here," he said.
The New Zealand Herald understands Bruce Langslow, the New Zealander implicated in the sex slave scandal in Bangkok, has been spotted at clubs in the Auckland red-light districts in recent years.
But it is unclear if any of the women Mr Langslow is alleged to have trafficked - in business with his wife and another New Zealand woman, Kristina Andersen - have been sent here.
Asked whether he was aware Mr Langslow had made trips back to New Zealand, the police attache in Bangkok, Ross Pinkham, said: "I'm not able to confirm one way or the other any of that information."
Mr Pinkham is working with Thai authorities to find the New Zealanders exposed by the British media.
Mr Smith, who said he employed only Thai women who were New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, maintained that hundreds of Thai women were active in the sex industry here, most working illegally on visitor visas.
Some were brought out by New Zealanders who placed them in massage parlours and charged them exorbitant fees to cover costs.
Senior sexual health workers have told the New Zealand Herald of treating Thai women who thought they were coming here to work in restaurants.
The head of Auckland police, Superintendent Howard Broad, said last night: "If there was any suggestion this was happening we would be following it up."
