Police in Spain have said they have arrested members of a criminal gang involved in the sexual exploitation of trans women.

The Associated Press reports that three members of the gang were arrested.

The criminal group, according to police, was involved in human trafficking, including a sex-slave ring which involved exploiting foreign transgender women.

In a statement, the police said the women were “mainly from Venezuela”.

Authorities have said the women were brought to Spain, and forced into sex work.

Victims were threatened by gang members and their families were also threatened with violence.

They were also moved “all around Spain”, said the police statement.

Last year in Miami, the leader of an organisation which trapped gay men in apartments and forced them to have sex around the clock was sentenced to 11-years in prison.