The attacks, which are part of the police's targeted Operation Cod, were carried out at a number of addresses on Södermalm and Norrmalm in central Stockholm during the past week.

A total of 42 sex buyers were arrested and prosecuted, of whom the youngest was 18 years old.

One person has also been arrested on suspicion of procuring.

The operation is one of several that the police have carried out during the year against prostitution in Stockholm and the number of arrests on each occasion remains at a high level.

Throughout 2019, about 50 people were convicted of buying or attempting to buy sexual services in Stockholm County.

Almost as many were arrested in a single operation in February earlier this year.

- In 2020, we have implemented several major efforts to prosecute people who buy sexual services and to find the women and men who sell sex and offer them help.

The fact that we have now arrested 42 men in this operation clearly shows that prostitution continues to be a major problem despite the fact that it received a lot of attention in the spring, says Simon Häggström, crime inspector at the police's National Operations Department, Noa, and specializes in human trafficking and prostitution, in a press release .

"Going around the clock"

According to the police, a large part of the prostitution has moved from the street to apartment brothels.

At this week's strike, social workers have also been present to provide support and help to the women and men who sell sex.

A total of 35 women, five men and a transgender person aged 18-45 have been identified.

In addition to Sweden, according to the police, they come from countries such as Romania, Nigeria, Kenya, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Spain, Ecuador, Colombia and Poland.

- It is terrible that the trade in children and women's bodies continues.

It takes place around the clock, all year round all over Sweden.

We can once again state that the number of unreported crimes is very high, says police chief Linnea Horgby, who together with police chief Elin Sjögren led the operation during the week, in a press release.