The Criminal Court on Monday handed down heavy jail terms on the executives and senior staff members as well as a driver of the popular Victoria Secret massage parlour in Bangkok’s Huay Kway area after finding them guilty of involvement in procuring underaged girls from Myanmar for forced prostitution in Thailand and Malaysia.

The court, however, dropped human trafficking charges against them citing insufficient evidence.

Mr. Satthratham Jaengchai, the manager of the massage parlour and Mr. Boonsap Amlornrattanasiri, were given 18 years and 16 months imprisonment; Mr Chainarong Ansuk and MKe Ekkanat Charuwatpathomkul, 15 years and 12 months; Ms Sasithorn Veerathepsuporn, a business partner, 7 years and 14 months and Decha Singsakorndecha, the driver, 9 years.

Two other senior staffers, Manas Uamtap and Somchai Saeng-udom, were charged in a separate case and a verdict is scheduled on September 19.

According to the prosecution’s charges, the transnational criminal gang sent men into Myanmar to lure young Myanmar girls aged under 15 to work in Thailand. Upon their arrival in Bangkok, they were forced to work as service girls at Victoria Secret, a popular massage parlour in Huay Kwang district, which was raided by officers from the Department of Special Investigation in March this year.  The raid resulted in the permanent closure of the massage parlour and the arrest of its executives and some staff members.

Several police officers of Wang Thong Lang police station were later transferred for their failure to take action against the massage parlour.

After working at the massage parlour for about two years, the Myanmar girls were taken by bus into Malaysia via Hat Yai and forced into prostitution with guests with pre-appointments before they were brought back to Thailand.