THOUSANDS of illegal immigrants risk their lives every year trying to get into the UK. They can pay anything up to £30,000 to be smuggled into the country with the hope of a better life.

The reality, however, is far different, particularly for women.

Many never realise they could be forced into working in a brothel when they arrive.

In recent years, dozens of such brothels have opened in Essex, from Southend to Clacton, largely featuring immigrants from China and eastern Europe.

Essex Police has swooped on 37 brothels in the past 12 months alone.

It estimates some 55 to 60 brothels are open for business in Essex, but claim keeping their numbers in check can be difficult because it is relatively easy for the criminal gangs to open more.

Det Sgt Angie Garrard is part of a team founded in 2004 and based at Essex Police headquarters, in Chelmsford, dedicated to combating immigration crimes.

She said many of the women working in brothels were tricked into thinking they would be doing other jobs, but had little choice when they arrived.

They can pay £30,000 to be trafficked into the country illegally, and when they arrive, they are told they must work off the debt.

Det Sgt Garrard said: “The girls will come in with no documentation and having to pay off a lot of money.

“Because they are here illegally, they can’t just get a job somewhere, so they will either be exploited through the labour industry, or by selling pirate DVDs or through sexual exploitation.

“You don’t earn a lot of money selling the DVDS or by working in a restaurant.”

Chinese brothels will typically feature two girls and a maid, who is usually an older woman who looks after the house Women working in the brothels are usually aged between 17 and 30, and can earn several hundred pounds a day. Half of the money goes straight to the gangs running the brothel, money which can be used to fund any number of other crimes.

When police carry out raids, alongside the UK Border Agency, social services and Revenues and Customs, a key concern is providing support for the victims.

The women are referred to the UK Human Trafficking Centre, a group which gives them time to recover and helps them come to terms with their abuse.

Depending on their circumstances, victims can volunteer to return to their homes or remain in the UK.

Brothel keepers and sometimes the maids will be charged under the Sexual Offences Act, while the prosecution service will try to claw back some of the money through the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Fortunately, the police have not yet found any children being sexually exploited at Essex brothels.

However, Det Sgt Garrard said sometimes it can be difficult to get the women to talk about how they got into the UK, or identify the people they worked for.

She said: “The Chinese in particular often don’t want to talk about what has happened to them, because the people they paid the trafficking money often know where their family lives back in China.

“They could have a child back home, or have parents they are sending money to. It’s a vicious circle.”

She added eastern European girls working in brothels were often lured to the UK through the internet, meeting men who befriend them and tempt into visiting the UK.

When they arrive, they are then forced to sell their bodies and can be kept in check through violence.

Catching the gangs behind the brothels can also be difficult, as many are based in London.

But Det Sgt Garrard said successful operations at ports in Essex and Stansted Airport meant it was more difficult for people to slip into the country, holding back the number of women being exploited.

She said: “It is a success story because we’re not seeing the numbers of minors coming into the county. ”

Det Sgt Garrard said the foreign brothels were only one of the consequences of illegal immigration. Other cases include document forging, labour exploitation, and domestic servitude, where immigrants are forced to live in poor conditions and work as slaves in households.

Domestic servitude crimes are rising in the county.

In some cases where people are found, children in particular could be conditioned to their slavery as their captors drew on Voodoo mythology to scare them.

Det Sgt Garrard said: “When we moved one girl, she was so frightened and wanted to get all of her belongings out of the house. She thought they would put a curse on her by using some of her hair.”

l Anyone who wants to come forward with information about brothels in their area can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.