Four citizens of Moldova are suspected of recruiting young women and trafficking them to Russia, where they were forced to prostitute themselves. As a result of the cooperation between the police forces of the two states, there were released a number of women, six of whom were Moldovan, IPN reports.
In a news conference, Ana Revenko, director of the Center for Combating Trafficking in Persons, said that the group had worked for two years. The recruited young women were from socially deprived families. They were told they will work as waitresses or shop assistants, but were made to provide sexual services when they arrived in Russia. They were dispossessed of passports so that they could not leave.
“The group worked according to a scheme. The group’s head financed the transportation of the victims, the recruiter identified potential victims, the procurer looked for clients and kept the financial accounts, while one more person ensured the guard,” said Ana Revenko.
The five group members are aged between 21 and 42. Four of the suspects are under arrest and face up to 20 years behind bars.
