Two Thai illegal immigrants living in Streatham have been jailed for their part in a prostitution ring where women were brought to the UK from Asia and sold for sex on the internet.

Sutima Khongpon, 55, and Phanusak Kaewbenjarkarn, 32, from Howland House in Leigham Avenue had bought several trafficked women to the country and forced them to pay off their “debt” to them by working in the sex industry.

The women were advertised along with dozens of others through an “online brothel” called Oriental Gems that specialised in girls from southeast Asia.

Southwark Crown Court heard how some women who appeared on the site were forced to sleep with hundreds of men at £100 a time to pay off “bondholders” such as Khongpon and Kaewbenjarkarn.

Khongpon was sentenced yesterday to two-and-a-half years in prison and Kaewbenjarkarn to two years.

The pair were among 10 defendants, all from Thailand, to plead guilty to charges of controlling prostitution for gain.

Eight, including the Streatham two, now face deportation and confiscation hearings to get back the cash they gained through their crimes.

The online brothel network - also linked to Surrey, Norfolk and central London - was smashed during raids carried out in April this year.

After the raids 30 trafficked women were taken to a specialist centre equipped with interpreters, health workers and officers trained in sexual offences interview techniques.

Nine gave statements to police that were used by the prosecution.

Many of the women have now been sent back to Thailand.

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