Women held after raid on 'brothel'
The alert was raised after an 18-year-old girl allegedly fled accommodation in Hyde Road.
She ended up in a pub in Torbay Road from where a concerned person rang police on Wednesday night to alert them to the youngster's plight.
Yesterday, officers arrested two women, aged 21 and 38, on suspicion of false imprisonment. They were still being quizzed at Torquay police station late last night.
Bay police commander Chris Singer said inquiries into whether the 18-year-old girl had been abused by human traffickers may well extend abroad.
For the moment she is being cared for at a secret 'safe address' by specialist support agencies working in the South West.
Police investigations are focusing on the use of Flat 2 at 2a Hyde Road in Paignton.
Supt Singer said: "We are concerned people have been taken to this address for the purposes of sexual exploitation."
He put out a special appeal to the public to help with the investigation, emphasising all information would be treated with the strictest of confidence.
Supt Singer said: "Our appeal is for those who have knowledge of this address, either by working there or visiting for sex, to make contact with us and pass on any information about anyone they suspect may be of interest to us.
"Their help could possibly safeguard the interests of people who may be innocently drawn into this hateful and inhuman trade in sex exploitation."
It is understood the same address was raided by police last year as part of Operation Pentameter, a continuing police initiative devised to thwart those involved in human trafficking.
Supt Singer said: "We are confident our inquiries may spread far and wide, possibly abroad.
"For the moment we are working closely with the 18-year-old to make sure her best interests are served."
He thanked the person whose information prompted the latest investigation.
Totnes MP Anthony Steen, who is chairman of the All Party Group on Human Trafficking, said: "This is something which affects every village and town in the country and is a terrible indictment on society." He said he would be speaking to social services on the matter today.
