Four people have been arrested after raids in Hove and Worthing.

Sussex Police said they had had seized a significant amount of cash and arrested three people for offences linked to prostitution following four house raids in Worthing and Hove last night. 

Police investigating sex trafficing raided properties in Blatchington Road, Hove and Ham Road, and Selden Road, Worthing, and South Street Tarring. 

A 64-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman, both from Worthing, were arrested on suspicion of acquiring, using or possessing criminal property.

A 59-year-old man, also from Worthing, was arrested on suspicion of acquiring, using or possessing criminal property and keeping or managing a brothel used for prostitution. The two men remained in custody on Wednesday morning (September 20) for further questioning.

A 49-year-old woman, from Worthing, was arrested on suspicion of acquiring, using or possessing criminal property but was subsequently released without charge.

Several women thought to have been working as prostitutes are now working with Sussex Police, the Adur and Worthing Councils’ Safer Communities Team and local health providers to give them care and support.

A third man was also arrested on suspicion of paying for services of a prostitute and has been released under investigation.

Chief Inspector Miles Ockwell, district policing commander for Worthing, Adur and Horsham said: “Yesterday's operation was the result of a significant amount of planning by many agencies working together to ensure that we could safeguard those we believe to be at risk of exploitation. We will continue to focus on targeting those who are engaged in organised crime and who gain from the exploitation of vulnerable people."

Immigration officers were also seen visiting a Salvation Army building in Crescent Road, Worthing, just before 6pm.

The Salvation Army said they had been put on standby by police to offer assistance to women rescued from the raids - and were not themselves suspected of any offences.