A couple from the West Midlands has been handed significant prison sentences for running a sophisticated human trafficking and modern slavery operation that exploited vulnerable women for substantial financial gain.
Brutal Exploitation Uncovered
Luigi Cucu, 46, and Costela Soare, 37, both of Smethwick, Sandwell, were apprehended after West Midlands Police acted on intelligence regarding women being advertised online for sexual services. The pair were arrested in March 2023, which triggered a major investigation uncovering that 14 women had fallen victim to their crimes between January 2018 and March 2023.
The investigation revealed harrowing details of the victims' ordeals. One woman, trafficked into the UK in 2015, was moved to various locations across the country. She endured physical and verbal abuse, was coerced into drug abuse leading to large debts, and was subjected to extreme financial control. Forced to work up to 20 hours a day, she was also coercively controlled and denied access to essential medical care.
Severe Malnutrition and Financial Gain
In a particularly distressing case, another victim was found to be so severely malnourished due to a lack of money for food that her bones were visibly protruding through her skin. The couple's criminal enterprise was highly profitable, with police estimating they gained at least £734,400 from the sexual exploitation of these women to clients across the country.
Justice Served After Three-Year Probe
At Wolverhampton Crown Court on November 21, Cucu, who had pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating travel with a view to exploit and controlling prostitution for gain, was sentenced to nine years and seven months in prison. Soare, who pleaded guilty to controlling prostitution for gain, was jailed for three years and two months.
Detective Constable Mahadi Hasan, who led the investigation with the West Midlands Police major crime team, stated: "We've worked hard to bring these charges against both Cucu and Soare. It's been a very in-depth and thorough investigation over the course of three years to comb through evidence to piece together the couple's crimes and the abuse their victims went through."
"We've supported and safeguarded the victims and I'm glad that both Cucu and Soare have now been put behind bars for their crimes," DC Hasan added, highlighting the force's commitment to tackling modern slavery.
