Slideshow: Craigslist Used In Sex Sting | Video: Craigslist Used In Sex Sting

Police in Bucks County have arrested 16 people on prostitution and drug charges after finding the suspects using the popular craigslist Web site in a sting operation.

Bensalem Township (Pa.) police said a special unit used www.craigslist.com as an "investigative tool" to identify, contact and arrest prostitutes.

The arrests come a month after police in Maryland used the Web site in a similar sting operation to arrest four women.

Bensalem police say 52-year-old Amber Lanier Angeli was one of dozens caught in Bensalem's summer long sex sting.

Angeli arrived at court Thursday to face prostitution charges.

Police in Bensalem said they chose the Web site because they felt it "blatantly allow(s) prostitutes to post advertisements with explicit solicitations for sex for money to be posted across the entire world."

"It's a lot easier now with pictures, descriptions of what they will do for you," said Fred Harran, Bensalem's public safety director.

Harran showed NBC 10 a dozen photos of suspects nabbed this week. Harran says they were picked up at various motels after posting messages and pictures.

The services cost as much as $250 per hour.

Police said 12 people were arrested for prostitution and related offenses, and four people were arrested for dealing drugs.

Additionally, several thousand dollars in U.S. currency and four vehicles were seized, police said.

They also said one couple was charged with selling Oxycontin to an undercover police officer, after they brought their 3-year-old child to the scene of the drug sale.

NBC 10 contacted the public relations firm that represents craigslist.com for comment.

"Prostitution is not allowed on craigslist as noted in our terms of use, any more than tax fraud is allowed by the IRS or speeding by the police," said spokeswoman Susan MacTavish Best.

"Craigslist cooperates fully with the police and other authorities, and indeed we have a reputation for being easier to work with than most large websites," Best said.

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Text: Full Statement From craigslist About Prostitution Sting

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Best also asked craigslist's users to notify the Web site about inappropriate listings.