Four Moldovans and a Romanian citizen were arrested on suspicion of trafficking in human beings. These are accused of trafficking a 19-year-old girl from Chisinau to Vienna where they forced her to provide sexual services. Initially, they told her she will work at a beauty salon in Romania as a manicurist, IPN reports.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases, the suspects are aged between 21 and 43. The Romanian citizen was earlier convicted to seven years in jail for a series of offenses in an EU member state. When the girl reached the destination this March, she was dispossessed of passport and forced to prostitute herself. For her services, she was paid €100 to €150, which she transmitted to the traffickers.

Recently, owing to problems with the Austrian police, the suspects returned to Moldova together with the victim. In collusion with other persons who are yet to be identified, the young woman was taken to a field outside the capital city where, threatening her with a gun, they told her she and her family will suffer if she related what happened in Austria. They later abandoned here.

The suspects were arrested several days ago when they were travelling by different units of transport on the streets of Chisinau. They face up to 15 years behind bars. The victim is being offered the necessary legal and psychological assistance.