Two people face pimping charges after police raided a hotel in Øvre Romerike. Authorities received tips that online sex advertisements specifically named the Romerike hotel as a meeting location.
The investigation led to charges against a woman in her 50s from Bergen and the male hotel owner from Romerike. Police say the woman had rented one of the hotel apartments for over a year. At least two female sex workers used that space to sell sexual services.
Prosecutors believe the hotel owner knew about the illegal activities occurring on his property. "We assume the hotel owner profited from this rental arrangement," said prosecutor Jonas Nielsen-Slydahl in a statement.
The accused man denies criminal guilt in the case. The newspaper report does not reveal how the charged woman responds to the allegations.
This case highlights how some Norwegian hotels become venues for organized sex work despite clear laws against pimping. The trial is scheduled for January.
Norwegian law strictly prohibits profiting from others' prostitution, treating pimping as a serious criminal offense. The Øvre Romerike region lies northeast of Oslo in Viken county.