Shalun sentenced to 19 years behind bars

The members of the criminal group headed by Alexandru Covali, alias Shalun, have been convicted of trafficking in children, trafficking in human beings and procuring, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the Prosecutor General’s Office. After over three years of trials, the Supreme Court of Justice sentenced Alexandru Covali to 19 years in jail for trafficking in children for sexual exploitation, illegal keeping of arms and munitions and for holding and using forged official documents of special importance. Tatiana Miron, who was found guilty of trafficking in children, procuring and human trafficking, got 18 years, while the other members of the group – three to five years. In 2001, Alexandru Covali founded a criminal organization that dealt with trafficking in children, trafficking in persons and procuring in Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. The legal case against Covali and the other group members has been tried since December 2006. Earlier, the Centru District Court sentenced another two members of the group - Alexandru Covali’s son, who has the same name, and Veaceslav Barbaros. The court’s decision is irrevocable.