It is 31 and counting in Mississauga's hooker crackdown.
Following raid on several homes - most near the city centre - over the past two
weeks, Peel Regional Police have laid over 50 charges in an operation called "Project
Hook" carried out by the force's vice squad.
But despite the numbers in the recent busts, cops promise more will come.
"There are lots more out thre," said Detective Mark Marple. "There's
at least 40 ad in the paper across Mississauga and Brampton (that illegally offer
sexual activities)."
Most of the prostitutes operated from their homes, police said, while two Brampton
massage parlours - Rose's Place and Queen Health Centre - were busted. One if the
Brampton locations is operated by a Mississauga resident.
Marple said because of these arrests, ads will disappear for now but he expects
the hookers will be back in business in a few weeks.
"What's happening now is that most of the others have stopped taking out advertisements,"
to take the heat off themselves, Marple continued, adding when they start up again
it will be with new telephone numbers.
Police said all the Mississaugans involved were charged with keeping a common baudy
house.
Those charged in the sweep were either directly in charge of prostitution activities,
the keeper of the house while someone else was running things, or joint-keeper with
another person.
The operation was a direct result of public complaints from neighbours of those
arrested who witnessed suspicious goings-on. It also came from people looking for
legitimate employment, but found the jobs they looking into were a front for prostitution,
police said.
"Once we had the complaints we looked into all the ones in the area, and focussed
on (the) Square One (area)," Marple said. "That's mostly where they happened
to be."
In addition to keeping a common bawdy house, other charges include living off the
avails of prostitution, procuring and breach of recognizance, police said.
Those from Mississauga charged after Wednesday's arrests are: Janet Morrison of
Hanson Rd.; Kimberley Mancuso of Nadkarni Cres.; Anna Janco and Ludmila Wisch of
Glen Erin Dr.; Glenda Anderson of Elm Dr.; Devlyn Little, Debra Coleman, Rose Roberts,
Judy Weatherbee, and Brigette Cleroux, all of Webb Dr.; Monika Marciniak of Sherobee
Rd.; Ivy and Leonard Cross of Galloway Dr.; Anjelica Klaus of Dundas St. W.; Mirjana
Prpic and Gordana Salkovic or Riel Dr.; Jean Doljac of Lakeshore Rd. W; and Maureen
Mulgrave of Stavebank Dr.