China's "Sin City" sex trade trials now officially underway

Dongguan, a southern town in China that has been notorious for rampant prostitution, is now at the center of controversy, with sex trade trial now officially beginning.

Dongguan, which has been dubbed as China's "Sin City," was rocked to its core by a series of raids aiming to expose the numerous cases of prostitution. The raids began back in February of 2014, and have caused to 46 people going on trial for their alleged roles in the scandal, according to the Financial Times.

One of the central hubs of prostitution in Dongguan was the Crown Prince Hotel located in the small southern China Town. The hotel reportedly served as the meeting place for both the prostitutes and their clients, according to the findings of the raids.

With the hotel serving such a significant role in the case, its owner, Liang Yaohui, has also been thrust into the spotlight. Liang is the one currently regarded as the most high profile suspect involved in the case, but it is not solely because he owns the hotel. Liang also served as a member of China's national legislature prior to his involvement in the scandal. 

Prosecutors have labeled Liang's actions as being "extremely severe," according to the Telegraph, and said they even merit the death penalty being imposed upon the disgraced former politician.

Liang has pleaded not guilty to the charges of prostitution and destroying of evidence.

While the ongoing trials have taken down one of the alleged powerbrokers in China's Sin City, CNN reports that the sex trade is still rampant within Dongguan.

Instead of clients and prostitutes meeting in hotels or saunas as they did before, they now take a more discreet approach to how they handle their business. The two parties now reportedly use middlemen or "mamasans" to seal a possible transaction, continuing what has now been a way of life for many in Dongguan.

Time will tell if the sex trade trials can finally put an end to the prostitution in Dongguan.