Sex is the most active information network in Hong Kong for sex workers , established in as an advertising platform. Although two generations of its supposed principals were arrested and tried, it continued to enjoy a near-monopoly of the online Hong Kong sex trade. In December , New Territories South Police shut down Sex and claimed a victory in neutralising the vice ring that was behind the website.
During raids on 38 locations in the territory, people, including the alleged mastermind and his wife, were arrested. In , the two programmers who created the site were convicted of one count each of "conspiring to live off the earnings of prostitution arising from the ads that appeared on their website".
Both were eventually arrested in and sentenced to imprisonment for two to two and a half years. After the second generation at the helm of the site were arrested, websites continued to operate, further expanding into directories for Macau , Taiwan , and Thailand using the Nightlife Time Out described the site as "Wikipedia for whoremongers", [7] and records it as the 36th most popular website in Hong Kong at one time.
In July , Sex was ranked th busiest website in Hong Kong, while its two closest competitors, Miss Early in December , police claimed a victory in neutralising the vice ring that was behind sex The police raided 38 locations throughout the territory of Hong Kong, including the syndicate's North Point headquarters, various locations in Kowloon and the New Territories, and dismantled four closely linked illegal prostitution call centres. At a press briefing, police said the syndicate "provided a comprehensive service to sex workers and organised prostitution groups When they knew there were sex workers coming to Hong Kong, the syndicate would arrange a make-up service and photographers" [5] Police disclosed that among those arrested were arrested people, including eight senior members of the site and 78 sex workers aged 17β Details consist of name, age, race, languages, working hours, cost, address, measurements, photo gallery, transport directions, a Google map, and a personal description.
The profiles can be sorted by districts, of which there are 26, and by address. Details published on the website are carried in its monthly magazine. The site has a fee-paying membership system, called the "sponsored member scheme". For example, they may take or view the sex workers' photos, read service reviews, watch videos and use other functions. Credits can be earned in the forum to 'buy' more rights.
