On April 9, members of the Warwick Police Department’s Special Operations Group along with personnel from Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed a search warrant at 1550 Post Road. The search was based on information gathered by members of that unit concerning pandering and transportation for purposes of prostitution that may be occurring at the location.

There were no arrests at that time but three women were questioned at the scene and later released. Written records and a computer were seized in the raid but as of yesterday, they have yet to have their contents revealed.

“All of the records were written in Korean,” said Det. Capt. Michael Babula of the Warwick police. “The computer is going to be examined by our computer forensic expert.”

Babula said two of the women involved in the raid were legal residents, and “the third was already under a deportation order from ICE, so none of them were held.”

Babula said there appeared to be no evidence of human trafficking involved and no one has been named as a suspect in the case yet. He said although the law says it is not a crime to engage in prostitution off the street and indoors in Rhode Island, there are still charges that could be made against the owners and operators of the establishment.

“Running a place where the fruits of prostitution can be made is against the law,” said Babula, “and so is enjoying the fruits of prostitution for the women involved so the establishment and the women could be charged later.”

Babula said the special operations unit members entered the establishment undercover and were solicited by the women, which provided the “probable cause” for the execution of the warrant. There will be further investigation of the seized evidence before any charges will be leveled against the people being investigated.

Last week, Warwick Chief Col. Stephen McCartney said the timing of the raid had nothing to do with the ongoing controversy about closing loopholes in the current state law about prostitution. The main reason for the raid had to do with the larger issues of human trafficking and exploitation of immigrant women. Members of DAYONE, an anti-sexual assault and domestic violence advocacy agency assisted police.