A Romanian grooming gang have been convicted of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Dundee.
The four men and one woman were arrested and charged following an extensive investigation by Police Scotland.
Marian Cumpanasoiu, 37, Remus Stan, 34, Catalan Dobre, 44, Cristian Urlateanu, 41, and Alexandra Bugonea, 34, were convicted of a total of 30 offences at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, January 9, which also included supply of drugs.
They are due to be sentenced at a later date.
Police launched Operation Recloir in late 2021 to target a gang of suspected human traffickers in the Tayside area. They uncovered that women from eastern Europe were being forced into prostitution and were groomed with gifts and drugs.
Judge Lord Scott told the group they had committed an “appalling catalogue of sexual abuse and exploitation of vulnerable, mostly young women”.
Urlateanu, Dobre and Bugonea also fled the country but were traced and extradited back to Scotland.
In addition to enforcement action by a dedicated team of detectives, officers undertook significant partnership work to provide victims with access to agencies who could provide suitable support for their needs. This work remains ongoing to ensure their welfare and long-term safeguarding.
Detective Inspector Scott Carswell who led the investigation said: “I’d like to thank our numerous partners for their assistance with our enquiries and their valuable support for all the victims identified throughout the investigation.
“Trafficking and exploitation is a blight on our communities and has no place in Scotland.
“We will continue target criminals who abuse, control and exploit people, working with partners nationally and internationally to bring offenders to justice, and to raise public awareness to help identify victims and ensure they get the support they need.
“Victims are often vulnerable, they may be trapped with limited freedom or options, and sometimes they may not realise that they are in fact victims. They seldom contact police directly and quite often come to our attention either through a support agency or when someone from a local community makes a phone call and raises a concern. That call can be the first step in freeing someone from slavery and exploitation.
“If you have concerns that someone is a potential victim, or any information, please report this to police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, so we can investigate and take action.”
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