Mexico City CNN -- On an historic street just four blocks from the National Palace in Mexico City, scantily clad women marched in a circle for 12 hours a day, advertising and selling themselves for money they would never see.
The street, known as "La Pasarela," or "The Catwalk," is quiet now, thanks to an operation that freed 62 victims of a forced-prostitution ring, including two teenagers. But before, it was a hotbed of activity -- a center of sexual exploitation that prayed on the young and vulnerable.
Five men and two women who police say ran the ring were arrested in May and are currently in custody pending an investigation into alleged human trafficking, pimping, corruption of minors and organized crime. Authorities say two brothers, Manuel and Armando Rodriguez Mejia, controlled the organization. Manuel has been arrested, while Armado remains at large. Many of their victims were women from poor, rural areas outside the capital.
Two of the victims were teenagers, just 13 and 15 years old, authorities have said. Some might have a primary school education, others secondary. Most of the young women were tricked into moving to Mexico City, she said, following promises of love and a better life.
Once there, they were forced to sleep with an average of 20 men per day and sometimes as many as The women met their clients in tiny rooms, outfitted with a mattress, a trashcan and a curtain as a door. The victims were given quotas they had to meet and never saw a cent of what they earned.
