The madams usually said that they dared not to recruit minors in case of legal trouble, but it was not the fact. Many clients liked minors and the brothels were glad to provide such services. Most child prostitutes came from Eastern Europe, North Africa and Ukraine. They were usually sold to Western Europe, the United States, the UAE, New Zealand and other countries. Russia is both a "producer" and a "consumer". There were 40 secret brothels in Vladivostok, where the prostitutes included girls and boys, some of whom were only 14 years old.