Hundreds of UN peacekeeping troops and police in Kosovo have launched an operation to break up a series of prostitution rings in the province.

The raids targeted both Serbian and Albanian nightclubs and homes in the town of Kosovo Polje, near the regional capital Pristina.

Dozens of police and more than 200 British and Norwegian soldiers began the operation shortly after midnight local time, targeting 18 separate bars, hotels and apartments in Kosovo Polje.

In several cases soldiers equipped with sledgehammers were deployed to break down doors and sniffer dogs were then sent in to search for explosives.

Serbs and Albanians co-operate

Police say a total of 12 women, mostly from Moldova, were discovered during the operation, many of whom they say had been forced to work as prostitutes.

The women are being interviewed by detectives and preparations are already in place for some of them to be flown home.

While raids like this are not uncommon, the operation has highlighted the co-operation between Serbs and Albanians involved in the sex trade.

K-For officials say both communities were closely involved in the buying and selling of the women; seven people have been arrested.

Pimp's property

The trafficking of women to Kosovo has been prevalent ever since the United Nations took over the administration of the province 17 months ago.

Most of the victims come from Eastern Europe and are smuggled into Kosovo through Serbia and Macedonia.

They are bought and sold for as little as $500 each and remain the property of their pimp with little or no freedom of movement.

The UN has recently set up a special police unit to tackle the problem.