A man from Anenii Noi district was sentenced to ten years in jail for trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labor exploitation, IPN reports.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, in 2013 the offender recruited five inhabitants of Calfa and Roscana villages of Anenii Noi district to work in the building sector in Russia, promising them well-paying jobs. After receiving money for the trip and being told how to reach the destination, the victims got to the place and were accommodated at a psychiatrist hospital in Moscow, where they were to perform repair works.

The Moldovans worked for almost five months without being remunerated and ultimately understood that they were cheated. When they returned home, they complained to the Prosecutor’s Office. A criminal case was started and the culprit last summer was arrested and brought to justice.

The sentence passed by the ordinary court can be challenged in the Appeals Court.