Girls were just ‘rags’ to captors

A TRAFFICKING gang was caught after forcing a different group of Romanian women into prostitution.

More than a dozen women were smuggled into Britain by seven members of the gang.

They were referred to as “rags” and made to believe they were in a relationship with their captor or coming here for legitimate work.

They ended up locked away, advertised as “fresh stock” on the internet and being made to have sex in brothels in Manchester, Blackburn, Preston, Luton and Northampton.

Six women were rescued in raids and taken to safety. A number of items linked to the sex trade, along with cash and firearms, were seized.

A harrowing diary was found at one of the properties which revealed the emotional torture of one of the victims. She had come here believing she was in a relationship with her captor.

The gang were jailed for a total of 16 years.