140/03

CPS secures conviction in cruel human trafficking case

22 December 2003

The organiser of a human trafficking ring which forced women into prostitution after smuggling them into the UK on false papers, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment at Wood Green Crown Court today.

Luan Plakici was found guilty of seven counts of facilitating illegal entry of illegal entrants; three counts of kidnapping; three counts of living off prostitution; one count of procuring unlawful sexual intercourse; and one count of incitement to rape. The verdict brought to an end a four-month trial.

Roger Coe-Salazar, District Crown Prosecutor for the Wood Green Trials Unit, said: "The verdicts send a clear signal that The CPS is determined to play its part in the fight against Human Trafficking. The fight against this and other gangs making huge profits from vulnerable people will not end solely with the conviction and imprisonment of the traffickers. We are pursuing the assets of Mr Plakici and, in all cases that we can, we will always take this action to ensure that crime does not pay.

“I would like to thank the victims in this case for their immense courage in giving evidence, the Metropolitan Police and my team at The CPS in Wood Green for making this complex trial possible.”

Notes to Editors

1. Luan Plakici is Albanian born and was living in Golders Green, North London. He was the centre of this operation and although he initially maintained he was unemployed he was found to have amassed more than £200,000 in under two and half years and owned a Ferrari and a BMW.
2. The police investigation began when one of the victims escaped from the house in Palmers Green where she was being kept. She and her sister (17 and 20 years old) were first introduced to Plakici in Romania in October 2002. They were promised entry into the UK and work in a bar. In fact they were to be forced into prostitution. On arrival in the UK later that month they met two other girls already kept at Plakici’s house and both sisters were beaten when they refused. One of the sisters was taken to another house, raped but later escaped. She presented herself to the police as an illegal immigrant.
3. The Metropolitan Police uncovered a sophisticated network with ready access to false documents, money, accommodation and transport. Seven victims gave evidence at the trial. They were aged between 17 and 24 years old at the time. The women were brought over from Eastern Europe via the Czech Republic, Italy and France. Four victims are from Romania three from Moldavia.
4. To enable the victims to give their best evidence in court, The CPS used Special Measures such as video links and screens. The CPS liased with Romanian justice systems to ensure the victims were kept informed and the UK immigration authorities were asked to allow one witness to stay until the end of the case.
5. Media enquiries to CPS Press Office on 020 7710 6088 or CPS London on 020 7796 8657.