Vice officers arrested three members of the same family on Tuesday afternoon as part of an operation to smash a prostitution ring in the borough.

The trio, who are yet to be named, are a brother and sister and the woman's son. Their arrest followed a four-month operation codenamed Acebo.

The Metropolitan Police's vice unit acted on intelligence received from the Mill Hill and Hendon Safer Neighbourhoods Teams.

The first arrest took place at around 12.30pm, when officers arrested a 59-year-old man at an address in Mill Hill. A 59-year-old woman was later arrested at an address in Hendon, and officers took a 41-year-old man into custody in Canvey Island, Essex. All three were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to control prostitution for gain.

Officers believe they had been running three brothels in Mill Hill, Hendon and Harrow.

Chief Superinten-dent Ian Dyson, from the Met's clubs and vice unit, said: "This operation is the culmination of four months' work by officers from my unit.

"It is the latest in a series of operations we have been carrying out to clamp down on those who make large amounts of money by controlling women in the vice trade.

"Our work will continue, so those living off the criminal earnings made through exploiting women in this way should be aware that we may arrest them next."

Assistant Comm-issioner Tarique Ghaffur said: "No one should underestimate the misery and exploitation that is enforced upon the women who work within the vice trade.

"We will continue to make it as difficult as possible for crim-inals operating in this trade in London to operate."

mdysch@london.newsquest.co.uk