TENS of thousands of pounds, allegedly the profits of prostitution were transferred via a bank in Newport to Shanghai, a jury at Cardiff crown court was told.

David Edmunds said he estimated that up to £60,000 found its way into the account of a brother of an illegal immigrant, whom it is claimed, made huge profits managing prostitutes from Newport to Port Talbot.

Edmunds was giving evidence at the trial of Angela Choo, 39, of Caerau Road, Newport, who denies four charges of keeping a brothel and two of money laundering.

Edmunds, 60, of the same address has pleaded guilty, the jury heard, to three charges of assisting in the managing of a brothel and two of money laundering.

Prosecutor Leighton Hughes said Choo came to the UK in 2003, worked as a prostitute and then began to make substantial profits managing prostitutes in south Wales.

She met up with Edmunds and a business relationship developed.

In Newport, said Mr Hughes, she had prostitutes working in Birch Hill, Malpas, Stow Hill, King Street and Cardiff Road.

Mr Hughes said that her business was uncovered last November when a TV Licensing Officer investigated why she didn't have a licence and was offered sex. Four days later she was arrested.

Edmunds told the jury that Choo would give him large sums of money to pay into her husband's bank account in China.

Altogether, he estimated he transferred £60,000 plus £20,000 he had loaned her. Lesser amounts were transferred to her brother in China.

Proceeding