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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Web site that's gained national headlines for being a dangerous sexual playground is now under the microscope of Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.
An undercover investigation has netted more than a dozen arrests, as officers conduct a sting to catch prostitutes online.
"If the activity goes there the police need to go there to fight it," said Dr. Joseph Kunhs, of UNC-Charlotte, who has studied online prostitution.
Over the past week, CMPD has been engaged in an undercover operation targeting Craigslist.
Among the 15 people who have been arrested are 18-year-old Leslie Rye and 25-year-old Weylin Rodriguez. Officer say Rodriguez was Rye's pimp.
Police won't talk on camera about this operation. But Kunhs anticipates that we will see more like this one.
"Where there is no risk of getting caught, people jump in," he said. "If there is a perceived risk criminals will weigh that."
Officers say many of the women they arrested are working the circuit. The circuit is composed of women who travel from town to town, staying a week at a time for the purposes of prostitution.
Police say they're also fighting crimes connected to online prostitution, including the robbery of some Johns.
"They think they are safe, but they may not be," Kunhs said. "Criminals are smart. Criminals will adapt."
Vice officers will not say how long this operation will go on, but they want those people cruising the Web to know they are taking a chance if they break the law.
In May, South Carolina won a small victory against Craigslist. The company agreed to drop its "erotic services" category and replaced it with an "adult" category. At that time, Craigslist pledged to review all ads.
