a luxury bus that was used for rolling prostitution on South Beach was busted by Miami Beach police on Sunday. Clients would pay to get on the bus, get drinks and pay for sex, police said.
A luxury bus that was used for rolling prostitution on South Beach was busted by Miami Beach police on Sunday. Clients would pay to get on the bus, get drinks and pay for sex, police said.
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The normal bus fare in Miami Beach is a buck and a half.
But a massive limo bus tooling through South Beach over the weekend charged a lot more -- and offered a lot more, as well.
Undercover Miami Beach detectives Sunday busted a brothel-on-wheels, which charged $40 admission and offered sex for sale inside.
On board: prostitutes, fully stocked bars and the bus' madame -- Christine Morteh, 29, of Miramar.
Cops have charged Morteh with engaging in, directing others to and deriving support from prostitution, as well as operating a business without license.
She was held Tuesday on $5,000 bond, which she has since posted.
But the bus -- a sleek, black conversion vehicle that has the cab of a tractor trailer -- is no longer in service.
Cops have it locked up, seizing it as evidence, said Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police spokesman.
The arrests were part of a city-wide crackdown on prostitution over the weekend that led to 75 arrests -- including seven felonies -- and helped recover a missing person.
The sweep also netted a large cache of evidence, including drugs, a firearm and money.
Cash was all over the love bus when the undercover cops hopped aboard in the 1100 block of Collins Avenue, according to the arrest affidavit.
Their interest was piqued when the bus stopped and offered a ride for $40.
They quickly learned that Morteh was pimping out the women on board. The women took their clothes off, performed lap dances, and offered oral sex for just $100, according to the report and a detective's testimony in court.
Then there was the money.
''It was spread out all over the place,'' said the detective, whose name is being withheld. ``It was on their G-strings. In 19 years, I've never seen this.''
This weekend's sweep also led to authorities discovering at least one minor selling sex, said Judy Orihuela, a spokeswoman for the FBI.
A luxury bus that was used for rolling prostitution on South Beach was busted by Miami Beach police on Sunday. Clients would pay to get on the bus, get drinks and pay for sex, police said.
» More Photos
The normal bus fare in Miami Beach is a buck and a half.
But a massive limo bus tooling through South Beach over the weekend charged a lot more -- and offered a lot more, as well.
Undercover Miami Beach detectives Sunday busted a brothel-on-wheels, which charged $40 admission and offered sex for sale inside.
On board: prostitutes, fully stocked bars and the bus' madame -- Christine Morteh, 29, of Miramar.
Cops have charged Morteh with engaging in, directing others to and deriving support from prostitution, as well as operating a business without license.
She was held Tuesday on $5,000 bond, which she has since posted.
But the bus -- a sleek, black conversion vehicle that has the cab of a tractor trailer -- is no longer in service.
Cops have it locked up, seizing it as evidence, said Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police spokesman.
The arrests were part of a city-wide crackdown on prostitution over the weekend that led to 75 arrests -- including seven felonies -- and helped recover a missing person.
The sweep also netted a large cache of evidence, including drugs, a firearm and money.
Cash was all over the love bus when the undercover cops hopped aboard in the 1100 block of Collins Avenue, according to the arrest affidavit.
Their interest was piqued when the bus stopped and offered a ride for $40.
They quickly learned that Morteh was pimping out the women on board. The women took their clothes off, performed lap dances, and offered oral sex for just $100, according to the report and a detective's testimony in court.
Then there was the money.
''It was spread out all over the place,'' said the detective, whose name is being withheld. ``It was on their G-strings. In 19 years, I've never seen this.''
This weekend's sweep also led to authorities discovering at least one minor selling sex, said Judy Orihuela, a spokeswoman for the FBI.
the mugshots are out...get out the eye bleach..
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0626081miami1.html
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0626081miami1.html
