Police Scotland has charged 59 men and issued warnings to another 206 as part of a major crackdown on kerb crawling in red-light districts across the country. The operation, named Operation Begonia, involved more than 150 patrols targeting on-street prostitution and illegal brothels.
Operation Begonia Targets Illegal Brothels and Trafficking
While paying for sex is legal in Scotland, kerb crawling and brothel keeping are outlawed. Police have not disclosed the specific charges against the men. The initiative aims to dismantle illegal brothels, many of which are run by organised crime gangs involved in trafficking vulnerable women and girls.
Officers have engaged with nearly 300 sex workers, referring 86 to specialist support services. More than 430 intelligence reports were logged during the operation.
Chief Constable Highlights Violence Against Women
Chief Constable Jo Farrell stated: “Our approach to on-street prostitution focuses on targeted action to signpost women to support while deterring kerb crawling. Prostitution is a form of violence against women and girls and our approach seeks to build trust and confidence in policing, while making communities safer and supporting victims.”
Operation Begonia began in April last year after a successful pilot in Aberdeen, later expanding to Glasgow and Dundee. It forms part of Police Scotland’s wider Response to Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.
Vulnerability of Sex Workers
According to a Scottish Parliament briefing in 2025, an estimated 6,000-8,000 people work in the sex trade in Scotland, more than 90% of whom are women. Detective Superintendent Steven Bertram said: “People involved in prostitution, most of whom are women, are particularly vulnerable to violence. Drug or alcohol-related issues, or poverty, can drive people into prostitution, particularly on the street.”
He added: “Our approach focuses on safety and welfare, engaging with people and signposting them to support available from our partners, and reducing the risk of violence. This is about building trust and confidence in policing. It’s about safer communities and supported victims. And it’s about tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms.”
Continued Crackdown and Trafficking Concerns
Police have warned sex buyers that the crackdown will continue. Efforts are also targeting the underground trafficking pipeline bringing vulnerable Vietnamese women and children into Scotland. A force report states: “Areas of focus include supporting women to exit prostitution and encourage engagement with criminal justice partners to pursue men who purchase sex illegally. Effectively pursue perpetrators of rape and sexual crime and work with partners to support women in a trauma informed and victim centred way to engage with the criminal justice process.”
The report adds the need to “develop a greater understanding of the drivers for Vietnamese women and children’s migration to Scotland with the intention to effectively pursue and deter those involved in their trafficking and exploitation.”
