Officers raided five houses in Luton and one in Bedford in a covert operation code-named Pentameter 2, targeting sex trafficking in the UK.

Six brothels were closed in the raids, carried out between January 16 and 30. Four women and one man were arrested.

The women rescued are from Thailand, Romania and Albania.

Sexual exploitation

Five raids were carried out in Luton, two on homes in Hightown Road, two in Dorrington Close, and one address in Wellington Street, as well as a further raid in Ashburnham Road, Bedford.

Three women were arrested in connection with being concerned with the management of a brothel.

A man was held in connection with a number of offences, including being concerned with the management of a brothel, money laundering and facilitating entry into the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Another woman, thought to be Chinese, was arrested on immigration offences.