The owner of a western Sydney brothel, along with her workers and customers, have been slapped with $12,500 in fines for breaching public health orders.
The brothel bust came hours after five COVID-positive men each copped a $5000 fine when police found them unmasked and mingling outside in Sydney’s southwest.
Police say officers attended a brothel at Rydalmere on Monday night after a tip off from Crime Stoppers that it was still operating despite COVID-19 public health orders.
Police spoke with the 57-year-old female owner before going inside and finding three women employees – aged 31, 36, and 56 – and two male patrons – aged 56 and 57, none of whom were wearing face masks.
When confronted they all initially denied the business was operating.
One man told police he was there to quote on a painting job, while another man said he was visiting his girlfriend.
Police soon confirmed the business had been operating, and everyone there was advised they would each receive a fine for not wearing a face mask.
Everyone apart from the 36-year-old woman, who lives on site, also received a fine for breaching the overnight curfew.
The owner was also issued a $5000 fine for failing to comply with a noticed direction.
All parties were directed to return to their homes but a short time later, police say they nabbed the 31-year-old woman trying to to return to the brothel.
She was arrested and charged with not complying with the curfew in an area of concern and not wearing a mask.
The Strathfield woman was granted conditional bail and will appear at Parramatta Local Court on October 5.
Earlier on Monday police patrolling in Leppington spotted five unmasked men sitting at a table on the footpath.
“None of the men were wearing face masks,” NSW Police said in a statement.
“Officers stopped and spoke to the men, who revealed they had tested positive to COVID-19 in rural NSW and had been ordered to self-isolate for 14 days after being escorted back to Sydney last Monday.”
The men – aged 23, 25, 26, 31 and 32 – were each fined $5000 for breaching COVID-19 health orders and escorted back to their homes to continue their mandatory isolation.
AAP
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