Prostitution In Nashua: Hotels Urged To Report Crimes

ANDOVER, MA — In an effort to combat prostitution and human trafficking, local police this week met with hotel managers — including those from Nashua — and urged them to immediately notify officers if they notice such activity. Andover police Chief Patrick Keefe said Wednesday detectives met with local hotel managers at the Residence Inn in Andover following several prostitution busts in the area.

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"Prostitution is not a victimless crime,” Keefe said in a statement. "This is an issue of human suffering and misery. We know that the women being advertised on internet classifieds websites and rarely, if ever, individual people. In nearly all cases, there is someone behind the scenes, profiting from these crimes."

The presentation "included vital information on the warning signs and behaviors associated with human trafficking and what hotel staff can do to curb these incidents from occurring in their hotels," Keefe said. An FBI representative was also on hand.

Last year, Nashua police arrested 10 people in a prostitution sting at city hotels and Andover police arrested three people in another sting.

"Going forward, the Andover Police Department will continue planning future operations while working with the local hotels in order to combat human trafficking and sex crime," said Andover police Det. Sgt. Mark Higginbottom said in a statement. "We plan to make these types of meetings a recurring event."

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• Nashua Prostitution Sting: 10 Arrested
• Andover Prostitution Sting: 3 Arrested

Photo: Andover police meet with local hotel managers to discuss ways to combat prostitution and human trafficking. (Credit: Andover Police Department)