Gang trafficked women from eastern Europe

A CRIME gang that trafficked young women from eastern Europe and forced them to work in West Country brothels has been dismantled.

Three people have been found guilty of forcing the vulnerable women to become sex workers.

Gigi Ciobanica, 46, his partner Cristina Olaru, 31, and Priyantha Yakdehige, 54, between them controlled the brothels and the women, taking a hefty slice of the money their victims earned working as prostitutes in Swindon. It has taken years to bring the trio to justice.

Wiltshire Police launched an investigation on an organised criminal gang (OCG) dating back to 2015. The trio were found guilty following a 10-week jury trial at Winchester Crown Court and will be sentenced on February 2.

The young women were trafficked from Romania before being put to work at brothels in Swindon. The proceeds of the crime were then laundered.

Police said the victims worked at addresses owned by Yakdehige, of Vasterne Close, Purton. The addresses were then rented by Ciobanica and Olaru, the leaders of the Romanian gang. They controlled the workers at the addresses, taking a cut of the money earned.

Ciobanica, of Grasmere Road, Birmingham, was found guilty of conspiracy to engage in human trafficking and money laundering.

Yakdehige was found guilty of conspiracy to engage in human trafficking, and pleaded guilty to money laundering.

Olaru, of Commercial Road, Swindon,

was found guilty of controlling prostitution for gain and money laundering.

DS Richard Nelsen said: “Modern slavery is within our communities and is not something any of us can be complacent about in challenging. This group in particular worked in the Swindon area but we know that girls were collected from Luton Airport and transported on ferries from France to the United Kingdom where they were put to work.

“The conditions they worked in were poor and they often worked effectively 24/7 with customers being booked throughout the day and night. The exploited women were not in control of when they worked and those at the top took a heavy slice of any profit which was made.”

He continued: “Gigi Ciobanica was the Romanian ‘boss’ who led the OCG and controlled the network of sex workers.

“He ensured the transportation, housing and activity of the exploited females was managed to ensure he profited directly and substantially. He would funnel the money back to Romania to construct property in his name, whilst evading taxation and stealing from those he exploited.

“Cristina Olaru was, at the time of the investigation, the partner of Ciobanica. She controlled the listings for the sex workers and managed their finances, ensuring she and Ciobanica took a profit and arranged where they were located in houses provided by Yakdehige.

“This group has been dismantled within Swindon.”