The General Prosecutor’s Office initiated criminal proceedings against several former employees of the Ministry of Home Affairs, who worked within the subdivisions specialized in countering trafficking in human beings. The policemen are suspected of facilitating the activity of a criminal group, Info-Prim Neo reports. The case is being investigated by the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Center for Combating Economic Crimes and Corruption. The former policemen are suspected of receiving unlawful profit for providing protection to a supposed criminal group. Recently, the leader of the group, known in the underworld as Shalun, was sentenced by the Chisinau Court of Appeal to 21 years in prison for trafficking in children for the purpose of sexual exploitation, trafficking in human beings, illegal possession of weapons and munitions, possession and use of forged documents. Other 4 members of the criminal group were convicted to imprisonment terms ranging from 4 to 20 years. According to the prosecutors, between 2001 and 2006, Shalun was heading a criminal organization operating on the territory of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. The victims were recruited for sexual exploitation from across Moldova, especially Transnistria. Later, the victims were transported to Chisinau, being housed in specially arranged houses and flats. In total, 24 girls, including 11 minors, who provided sexual services, were identified. Two of them are from Ukraine.