Bail set in alleged prostitution ring

Greg Tuttle

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2000 | 11:09 a.m.

A prostitution ring based in Las Vegas that forced Asian women smuggled into the United States to work in brothels in major cities across the country has ties to a Hong Kong travel company, a federal prosecutor said Monday.

But a defense attorney for one of five people arrested during a recent raid in Las Vegas called allegations of a nationwide network of brothels catering to Asian tourists absurd.

"That is so far-fetched, your honor," said John Ham, a Las Vegas attorney representing a man accused of being the ringleader of Asian brothels from Los Angeles to New York. "I find it ridiculous that Asian women are brought here so Asian tourists can come here and satisfy whatever needs these Asian tourist groups have."

But U.S. Magistrate Lawrence Leavitt wasn't convinced. He set bail Monday at $100,000 for 51-year-old Yuk Ching Lui, who federal authorities allege ran an illegal brothel out of his Las Vegas apartment and is among the leaders of a international conspiracy to smuggle women into the country to work as prostitutes.

"It doesn't seem too far-fetched to me, Mr. Ham," Leavitt told the attorney before setting Lui's bail. "But one day we'll see the evidence and make that determination."

The alleged ties to an international travel company were among several new facets of the case to surface Monday during a detention hearing for Lui and co-defendant Ru Xiang Zhao, both indicted on felony charges in connection with the alleged prostitution ring.

Leavitt ordered Zhoa, whose age is unknown, held in custody pending trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Smith also said at least one prostitute arrested during the Sept. 8 raid in Las Vegas dubbed Operation Jade Blade was smuggled first to Canada then brought to the United States by boat. The seven other women arrested during the raid also entered the country without passing through U.S. Customs, Smith said.

And evidence in the case points to the involvement of a Hong Kong-based travel company, Morning Star Travel Service, which sends hundreds of Asian tourists to Los Angeles every year, Smith said. The tourists then traveled to Las Vegas and numerous other cities through a sophisticated network established to promote the brothels.

The brothels were set up in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Boston, New York, Atlanta and Minneapolis, according to authorities.

Lui was co-owner of a travel agency based in Las Vegas, Ocean Vacations Tours and Travel, Smith said. The company steered Asian travelers to the brothels specializing in Asian women, she said.

Lui "used his travel agency for the purposes of getting clients for brothels," Smith said. Lui also allegedly had ties to another Las Vegas travel company known as Global Travel, prosecutors said.

But a man who identified himself as the owner of Global Travel, Kwok Chun, told the Sun last week Lui is not a partner in the business. Chun said he only knows of Lui through his connections in the travel industry.

Prosecutors allege the Asian women were charged a fee to come to the United States, then forced to pay off the debt by working as prostitutes. The women were rotated from brothels in various cities every few weeks.

Agents of the FBI, Immigration and Naturalization Service and Metro Police conducted the raid in Las Vegas, arresting five people on charges of conspiracy to violate federal law, including the smuggling and movement of illegal aliens, the interstate and foreign movement of women for illegal prostitution, interstate and foreign travel in aid of prostitution and money laundering.

Dat Ming Leung, 40, was released from custody on his own recognizance Wednesday. Dan Chao, 25, and Cindy Tan, 43, have been ordered held in custody pending trial.

A sixth suspect, Tjui Ha, 45, was arrested in Rosemead, Calif., and is expected to be brought to Las Vegas to face charges. Another suspect in Denver eluded arrest, and federal authorities have said the case remains under investigation in several cities.