Three women were arrested today following a police raid on an alleged brothel in Oxford.

Thames Valley Police and the UK Border Agency targeted 469 Marston Road, in Marston, at 11am.

Officers threatened to force their way into the three-bedroom house, but the occupants opened the front door voluntarily.

An hour later, two Chinese women and a Thai woman – aged 64, 43 and 38 respectively – were arrested on suspicion of being in the country illegally.

Marston Pc Jon Shaw said officers targeted the premises after neighbours complained it was being used to sell sex.

Two of the women were suspected of being prostitutes, and the third their “receptionist”.

Pc Shaw said: “We searched the premises and I can confirm it was being used as a brothel – upstairs we found two sparsely furnished rooms with airbeds on the floor.

“We conducted checks on the females in the house to establish their identity and arrested all three for immigration offences.”

Three neighbourhood officers and six immigration officers were involved in the operation.

Dog handlers were also present because police incorrectly thought there was a Rottweiler in the house.

Pc Shaw added: “All three women were compliant. The reason we went with so many officers was that we were led to believe there was an aggressive dog in the house.”

Police have shut down six brothels in Marston over the past 12 months.

Residents expressed shock at the arrests at the brothel, known as Angel Beautiful.

One 66-year-old woman, who asked not to be named, said she suspected women had been selling sex at 469 Marston Road for more than a year.

She said: “Men knock on their door endlessly.

“It’s disgusting, absolutely disgusting, to think such a thing is happening next door. The problem should have been sorted ages ago.”

Pc Shaw warned landlords to help tackle the problem.

He said: “We have been working hard to eradicate anti-social behaviour caused by brothels.

“I would like to warn landlords and letting agents in Oxford that letting a property out knowing it is going to be used as a brothel is a criminal offence and we will look at prosecuting the owner and, or letting agent.

“It’s imperative regular checks are conducted on premises that you own to ensure nothing untoward is going on, and you can still gain access.

“We have found at a number of premises being used for illegal activity the locks are changed so the owner or landlord can’t conduct checks of the property.”

tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk