8 men in Laval charged in connection to underage prostitution

Eight men accused of seeking sexual services from minors appearedin court in Laval on Wednesday to be formally charged.

Theywere among the 10 arrested on March 22 and 23 on suspicionof soliciting sexual services in exchange for money from people under 18 years of age.

Theremaining two will appear in court in July, Const.Evelyne Boudreauof Laval polce said.

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If they are found guilty ofthe charges, the men could face at least six months in prison.

Laval police zeroed in on the suspects on the web, Boudreau said. No underage girls were used to lure the accused, she added.

The operation was launched after a string of disappearances of teenage girls from a youth centrein Laval 127 in 2015, according to Lavalpolice thatwere thought to be linked to prostitution rings.

The Quebec government appointed an auditor to make recommendations to address the problem, but this operation preceded this report, Boudreaunoted.

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