Three people have admitted their involvement in a Chinese organised crime operation which included running brothels in Bath.
Two men Bin Jun Xie, 35, and Yang Wang, 31, and a woman Ah La Cheung, 44, all Chinese nationals who had been living in London or Bath, were due to stand trial at Bristol Crown Court this week.
However, they all changed their pleas at the last minute and each admitted a charge of conspiracy to manage brothels between October 31, 2008, and July 3, 2012.
The prostitutes, many of whom were illegal immigrants, were working out of privately-rented flats in Bathwick Street, Anglo Terrace, New King Street, Cleveland Bridge and Great Stanhope Street.
Two others, a woman Haime Kuong, 42, who is also from China, and a man Kar Fei Yau, 32, originally from Malaysia, have been charged with money laundering, linked to the same operation, and are due to stand trial later this month.
Xie, Wang and Cheung have all been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the end of the second trial.
Police say the operation was a multi-million pound scheme involving the management and control of brothels across the South West, including in Bath and Exeter, and in Redhill, in Surrey.
They arrested 11 people back in July as part of a regional investigation.
DC Kevin Forrest, from Operation Zephyr, an initiative set up to tackle organised crime, which brings together five forces including Avon and Somerset constabulary, welcomed the outcome of this part of the case.
Speaking outside court, he said: "This is part of an ongoing commitment by Zephyr to detect and destroy organised crime affecting the South West.
"In this case it is a Chinese organised crime group who exploited women who were vulnerable through their illegal immigration status.
"The 14-month investigation has seen Zephyr liaising closely with forces across the South West and the rest of the UK as a result of concerns raised by police local neighbourhood beat teams in relation to brothels being run out of privately-rented premises.
"Despite the current convictions the effort to destroy organised crime continues with a number of individuals who are currently on police bail and awaiting trial."
