Brazilians admit running brothel

Gardaí who raided a Cork apartment on Saturday found a Brazilian man and woman operating a brothel.

The owner of the apartment alerted gardaí about his concerns about what was taking place at the Salmon Weir complex at Hanover St, Cork, on Oct 6.

Insp Bill Duane said gardaí went to the apartment, where they were invited in by the owner.

“In the living room they met an Irish male and the female accused, who was wearing nightwear,” Insp Duane told Cork District Court. “There was a large amount of condoms and sex toys on the table. There was also a laptop, three mobile phones, and €500.

“There was a note with the directions to the apartment written in English.

“They [the two accused] said they were working as escorts. The Irishman was a client. He admitted he paid €100 and got hand relief and a massage. This man was directed to leave the apartment.”

Ricardo Cabello, aged 31, and Juscileide Dos Santos, aged 33, were arrested and charged with assisting in the management of a brothel. Both pleaded guilty to that charge yesterday.

Defence solicitor Eddie Burke said the accused met in Spain but were both originally from Brazil.

He said Cabello was a qualified hairdresser who ended up getting into the escort business. Mr Burke said Dos Santos was sending money home to Brazil to her sister, who has five children.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy fined each defendant €300, giving them one month to pay. He ordered the forfeiture of the computer and phones, which had been used in connection with the running of the brothel.

Following Mr Burke’s application that the defendants be allowed to use the €500 found in the apartment to buy flight tickets to return to Spain, the judge agreed, subject to the balance being forfeited to the State.