Four traffickers who ran a string of brothels across the capital, including ones in Ealing and Park Royal , have been jailed for a total of 20 years for their part in an organised crime network.
Three men and one woman were jailed on Friday (May 25) for placing women who had been trafficked to the UK from Romania into one of a string of properties they controlled to profit from their prostitution.
Georgian Marinescu, 25, Georgiana Marcovici, 31, Stefanita Miron, 24, and Mihai Marin, 23, were found guilty of involvement in the network which sexually exploited women over a four-year period - between January 2013 and September 2017.
The gang members, who were found guilty on Wednesday (May 23) at Wood Green Crown Court , controlled premises in Ealing , Park Royal , Stanmore , Golders Green, Colindale, Barnet, Hendon and Watford.
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Twelve women gave evidence during the trial and said they paid a large cut of their profits to the gang for the privilege of using the brothels.
Money made by prostitution was allegedly sent to a ringleader in Romania – who is currently being prosecuted separately by Romanian authorities.
Financial records revealed that more than £500,000 of transfers were made in connection with this criminal enterprise, according to the Criminal Prosecution Service (CPS).
Following an eight-week trial, the defendants were all found guilty of one count of conspiracy to control prostitution for gain and one charge of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
Marinescu, of Heath Parade, Colindale, rented properties, collected women from the airport after paying for their flights and made payments to adult websites. He was jailed for nine years.
Marcovici, of High Street, Watford, paid rent for properties, uploaded profiles to sexual services websites, made appointments for the women and drove them between brothels.
She also transferred large quantities of cash back to Romania. She was jailed for three years.
Miron, of Barnet Road, Barnet, was responsible for creating and updating the profiles on adult websites which were used by the gang to sell sex.
He also transferred cash from the brothels back to Romania and was jailed for three years.
Marin, of High Street, Watford, encouraged his girlfriend into prostitution, took photos of the women for their website profiles and was the registered keeper of the group’s car.
He was jailed for a total of five years.
Speaking after the sentencing on Friday (May 25), Lynette Woodrow, of the CPS, said each of the defendants “played an important role in this large-scale and lucrative criminal enterprise”.
She added: “The tasks necessary to run such a franchise included recruiting sex workers, arranging for their flights to the UK, managing and renting properties, creating profiles on online sexual services websites, and transferring large sums of money back to a ringleader in Romania.
“Each week the gang moved the women from property to property in order to maximise their profits.
“This successful prosecution, which involved a significant amount of international cooperation by a joint UK and Romanian investigation team, shows that anyone who aims to illegally make money in this way will face prosecution for their crimes.”
'Significant jail sentences handed out'
The Met Police's investigation, which was assisted by the Romanian Service for Countering Organised Crime and Terrorism, led to raids on four of the gang's properties on September 19 last year.
Detective Constable Dan Davies, of the Met’s Organised Crime Command, added: “These defendants made a large sum of money by helping to run a series of brothels across London.
“This case demonstrates the Met will arrest and prosecute anyone involved in trafficking people into the United Kingdom and controlling their activities as prostitutes.
“I would like to commend the bravery of the women who gave evidence in court. Their evidence played a major role in securing the guilty verdicts in this case.
“The significant jail sentences handed out reflect the level of criminality in this case.”
