Sixteen girls, three of whom minors, were trafficked and exploited sexually in Chisinau and abroad by a criminal group of traffickers during over a year. The suspects recruited girls to work as dancers at a nightclub in Turkey, but then forced them to have sex for money, IPN has learned from the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The minor victims whom the traffickers could not transport to Turkey were lodged at apartments in Chisinau, where they were sexually exploited.

The police established that the group consisted of Moldovan and Turkish citizens. Recently, there were arrested four Moldovans aged between 19 and 28. Two of the suspects worked at nightclubs in Chisinau – a man as a bodyguard, while a young woman as a dancer. They had the task of recruiting girls, who were later transported to Turkey by another group member. For their work, the victims were promised a recompense of about €2,000.

The suspects face up to 20 years in jail over trafficking in human beings and in children.