Two individuals have been sentenced to more than five years in prison for their involvement in modern slavery and human trafficking offences in Swindon.
The sentencing, handed down at Swindon Crown Court on Friday, signifies a crucial victory in the fight against organised criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable individuals.
The two defendants facing sentencing are as follows:
- Gigi Ciobanica (46)
- Sentenced to five years for engaging in human trafficking.
- Three years for money laundering, to run concurrently.
- Subject to a Slavery Trafficking Prevention Order for ten years post-release.
- Priyantha Yakdehige (54)
- Received a two-year suspended sentence for engaging in human trafficking.
- Given a suspended two-month prison sentence for pleading guilty to money laundering.
- Mandated to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work by 02/02/25.
The charges stem from their involvement in bringing female victims to Swindon and forcing them to work in brothels. The criminal enterprise, discovered by Wiltshire Police during a 2018 investigation, focused on an organised criminal gang trafficking young women from Romania to the UK.
Cristina Olaru, a third individual implicated in controlling prostitution for gain and money laundering, has been found guilty. However, Olaru failed to appear for sentencing, leading to a warrant being issued for her arrest.
DS Richard Nelsen from SOCU 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 women 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.
“The group operated on a model where the ‘landlord’, Priyantha Yakdehige, would arrange and pay for flights, and then arrange accommodation for members of the OCG to live and work in. His role made the wider criminal enterprise possible and for this reason he was integral to its operation. He profited from the criminal proceeds obtained from the prostitution, knowing how the money had been made.
“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 and the sentencing will send a further message to those who wish to engage in this criminality.
“The police cannot tackle this problem on our own and I would encourage members of our community to report any concerns or suspicions they have of such activity to their local Neighbourhood Teams or via 101 unless an emergency.”
