As a result of a large-scale investigation and joint operational activities carried out last week, Police Scotland, Romanian National Police and D.I.I.C.O.T, supported by Eurojust and Europol, dismantled a Romanian organised criminal network involved in trafficking of Romanian victims for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Scotland.
The action day by Police Scotland was 8 April 2016. The Romanian authorities deployed police officers and a prosecutor in the UK during the action day, which was supported on-the-spot by Europol experts, and resulted in four house searches, the arrest of one suspect, the referral to the Prosecutor’s Office of a number of other suspects, and the safeguarding of eight potential trafficking victims. During the action day, cash, mobile telephones and other valuable items were seized.
The operation was preceded by extensive and complex investigations and analytical support, assisted by Eurojust and Europol. This support included facilitating information exchange and analysis, organising operational meetings at Europol and delivering real-time cross-checks of all data gathered in the course of the field action through the deployment of Europol’s mobile office, and two Europol analysts in the UK to extract and analyse telephone data.
A joint investigation team (JIT) was set up between the UK and Romanian authorities following a coordination meeting held at Eurojust. The JIT became operational very quickly with Eurojust’s assistance.
For further information, please contact the national authorities in the UK and Romania.
