Colombia deports Israeli who pushed sex tourism
COLOMBIA: An Israeli man built a Latin American network of hostels that provided drugs and prostitutes for backpackers, a Colombian official said yesterday after the suspect was deported.
Assi Moosh was deported after being arrested in the Caribbean beach resort city of Santa Marta, not far from where he operated a fortress-like hotel known for throwing loud parties for tourists, the official said.
Investigators believe Moosh also ran hostels in six other nations, including Costa Rica, Brazil and Mexico, and allege he operated a foundation that promised to help underprivileged children but was used as a tool to recruit them into prostitution.
The official said Moosh is the father of three Colombian children and had recently applied for Colombian citizenship.
He was detained after being summoned by authorities to answer questions related to his application.
Moosh arrived at the appointment in a bulletproof truck and was believed to have had more than a dozen bodyguards waiting for him in the vehicle, the official said.
A statement from Colombia’s migration office said Moosh was deported under a decree that allows the Andean nation to deport foreigners who threaten security, public order and ‘‘social tranquility’'. – AP