Police in Auckland have identified at least a dozen underage girls working as prostitutes.
Officers say more girls are now involved than ever before - some as young as 13.
A Youth Action team set up a special operation, called Operation City Door, when it became obvious more and more runaway girls are resorting to prostitution.
More than 12 prostitutes between the ages of 13 - 15, have been found in the past six to eight weeks.
A pimp was arrested last week and charged with promoting a minor into prostitution.
The girls are taken to Child Youth and Family, but police say there is often a shortage of secure places for them to stay and keeping them off the streets is difficult.
