Three members of a family each got 7 years in prison after forcing a minor girl to practice begging in Russia over a period of four months, the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) said in a press release.

According to the PGO, in March 2011 a married couple together with their son promised the girl a well-paying job in Moscow, exploiting her poor financial circumstances. In reality, the girl was taken to the city of Khabarovsk in far-eastern Siberia, where she was forced to practice begging. After a while, the victim was relocated south to Vladivostok to do the same.

All the proceeds went to the traffickers, who allowed the victim to return to Moldova after four months. Following a search at the traffickers home, the police seized $600, 1,270 Russian rubles and 3,936 lei, which were confiscated by the state.

The Centru District Court sentenced the couple to 7 years each, and their son got a term by one month shorter. The sentence is appealable.