Some 100 Moldovans, deceived into working for free in Russia
- 14.03.2009 09:59
- 1369
- 2 minute(s)
-
A gang from Floresti district smuggled over one hundred Moldovans to Belgorod oblast in Russia, forcing them to work for free.
When asked by Info-Prim Neo, Tudor Capstna, the spokesman of the Chisinau Police Commissariat, has said the organizers of the criminal network are two cohabiting Moldovans: a man aged 29, registered as residing in Carpesti village of Floresti district, and a woman aged 26, registered as living in Prodanesti village of the same district, as well as some relatives of theirs.
They deceived their victims from poor families in villages promising to employ them officially in Russia.
“In order to easier persuade them to go to work, the victims used to be lent money with usuries, prepared documents, which were later taken away from them. Reaching Belgorod oblast, the people were forced to work to pay up the exaggerated debts,” the officers said. The victims took hold of their passports only when crossing the borders.
The probe shows that about one hundred Moldovans were smuggled by the gang, a fair number of them being women and children. Now, some 54 people are still held by force in Belgorod oblast, where they are forced to work daily, being poorly fed and living in inhumane conditions.
Tudor Capatana says the owner of the farm in Belgorod protects the criminal activity, and this is to be established by joint effort by the Moldovan and Russian policemen.
The smugglers used the money received from criminal activity to buy a four-room apartment in Chisinau, in February, against 63,000 euros.
On March 3, the suspected woman was held up. After searching her house in Prodanesti village, the police discovered passports of trafficked people, and agreements and agendas on managing debts. Tudor Capatana says four penal proceedings have been started on the verge of this case. The woman can be jailed for term from 10 to 20 years. The suspect says she is innocent and the people benevolently went to work and were not beaten, the officer specified.
The police is investigating the case with counterparts from Russia.
