Immigration officials in Fiji admit they're struggling to cope with Chinese prostitution rackets operating around the country.
The immigration service has called in the military to assist in raids on houses in Suva doubling as brothels.
Five Chinese nationals were deported last week and three more women are being deported from Nadi Airport today.
The new director of immigration, Commander Viliame Naupoto, says the women entered Fiji on student visas under the guise of studying English, but were part of an organised prostitution ring.
Commander Naupoto says the visas are endorsed by Fiji institutions, but clearly the approval process needs tightening.
"Once they're here, it becomes difficult and as you would understand prostitution is very hard to prove. You have to either catch them in the act or that the exchange of money is going on. I think we have to be a little bit more tough in our scrutiny of applications."
He says in one incident immigration staff arrived at a brothel only to be locked out, while the women fled in taxis.
He says the Samabula flat was under surveillance after complaints from neighbours and soldiers later found condoms, liquor, pornographic DVDs and equipment for producing fake IDs.
