Four Moldovan women who were victims of one of Britain's biggest people smuggling and sex-trafficking operations were awarded damages by a High Court judge in what is believed to be the first case of its kind, on February 19, writes The Scotsman, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. Mr. Justice Treacy, sitting in London, ordered a married couple who were jailed in 2005 to pay £175,000 to one woman, £162,000 to another and £132,000 and £142,000 to two others – all of whom cannot be named for legal reasons. He made the damages order against failed asylum seekers Gavril Dulghieru and his wife Tamara, who helped smuggle hundreds of desperate young eastern European women into the country. The case of the four women involved in the High Court action, who are all nationals of Moldova and now live in the UK, was that they were victims of an unlawful conspiracy to traffic them into the country from Moldova "for the purposes of sexual exploitation and prostitution". Mr. Justice Treacy said the Dulghierus were "significant players in that conspiracy". It is believed to be the first case of its kind.