A husband and wife who ran a network of brothels and advertised sex workers online, have today been jailed for a combined total of nearly five years.

Yafeng Dong, 53, and Wei-Gong Li, 46, both of Aldershot, controlled three addresses used for prostitution, arranging bookings through online adverts and directing sex buyers to specific locations. 

Police visits to the properties in Aldershot and Guildford found bedrooms set up for sexual services with items including lingerie, condoms, baby oil and mouthwash.

On 6 November 2023, officers carried out a welfare visit after identifying a phone number linked to an online advertisement. A lone woman was found inside a bedroom prepared for prostitution.

Our prosecutors analysed financial records which revealed the couple controlled multiple bank accounts, with more than £180,000 in cash deposits that could not be explained by any legitimate income. 

Mobile phone evidence confirmed the management of the brothels, movement of women between addresses and financial exchanges with people who paid for sex.

Kate Lewis, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This was a calculated and organised operation designed to generate profit through the exploitation of others.

“The Crown Prosecution Service carefully assembled a strong body of evidence, including financial records, mobile phone data and material recovered from multiple addresses, which clearly demonstrated how this brothel network was operated.

“Faced with the overwhelming strength of the evidence against them, the defendants had no option but to plead guilty.

“The CPS will continue to work with law enforcement partners to ensure that those who control and profit from prostitution are brought to justice."

Li was sentenced to two years and one month in prison, while Dong was jailed for two years and eight months.