Chris Doucette

23 men arrested in 2-day Brandon sex exploitation crackdown: police

Bust targeted both street-level and online sexual exploitation late last month

Brandon police say 23 men were arrested during a two-day sexual exploitation bust late last month in the southwestern Manitoba city.

Project Blockade, an operation by police in Brandon and Winnipeg with support from the Manitoba Criminal Intelligence Centre, set out to disrupt both street-level and online sexual exploitation on Sept. 26 and 27, police said in a news release Thursday.

The men were arrested in multiple areas, including downtown Brandon and at hotels, for obtaining sexual services for consideration or communicating in any place for that purpose, police said.

Seven vehicles were also seized under the Highway Traffic Act, which allows the impoundment of motor vehicles used in prostitution-related offences.

All of the accused men were released on undertaking.

Investigators are still combing through evidence gathered during the investigation.

Anyone with further information related to the investigation is asked to contact Brandon Crime Stoppers at 204-727-8477.