World Cup Update: Brothel Crackdown

German police in four states arrested nearly 100 people in brothel raids during a crackdown on illegal prostitution ahead of next month's World Cup.

Police in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria questioned hundreds of sex workers in the statewide raids, authorities said Thursday.

Volker Bouffier, interior minister of Hesse, said the raids Wednesday were launched in an effort to combat concerns expressed by human rights organizations and other groups that thousands of women, mostly from Eastern Europe, could be smuggled into Germany and forced to work as prostitutes during the World Cup. The monthlong event starts June 9.

"The controls and searches are an effective way to fight against such crimes, and for this reason (we) will continue to carry out such actions," Bouffier said.