China's Crackdown On The Sex Trade 'Sin City' Caused Thousands To Flee [MAP]
Feb 19, 2014, 03:12 IST
Last week, China carried out a rare crackdown on the sex trade in the southern city of Dongguan, long known as a haven for underground prostitution. At least 67 people were arrested and 12 venues were shut down in a sting operation that involved thousands of police. The bust triggered a mass exodus from the city, sending tourists and residents as far from the city as possible.
Asia Sentinel estimates that 10 percent of the city's population, or somewhere between 500-800,000 people. are involved in the sex trade.
Recently, Baidu (often referred to as "China's Google") used location data from Baidu Maps to track movements in the wake of the Dongguan prostitution bust. The map shows the most popular point of origin at the time (Dongguan) and the various popular destinations.
While the map shows thousands fleeing the city, the most popular destination is Hong Kong.
Here's Dongguan on a map:
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