A husband-and-wife gang helped lure women to the UK for a ‘holiday’ before cruel traffickers forced into prostitution.
Nicolae and Maria Branovici have been brought to justice for their roles in a major Romanian human trafficking and modern slavery network in the UK.
The 33-year-old alongside his 27-year-old wife served as logisticians and brothel operators for the gang.
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The pair were part of a gang led by Ionut-Robert Marghiol who ran a series of brothels in Bolton, Bury and Manchester.
The married couple were convicted on 5 Oct at Manchester Crown Court, as reported by Need To Know.
Nicolae was convicted of two counts of facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, as well as possession of cocaine.
Maria was convicted of one count of facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.
The pair who previously resided on Bennett Drive in Salford, received a combined sentence of five years and 12 months in prison.
Nicolae was sentenced to four years and six months in prison, whilst being issued a 10-year Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order (STPO).
Maria was handed 12 months in prison and also issued a 10-year STPO.
The sentences came following an investigation carried out by the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime team for the Greater Manchester Police.
Officers exposed the horrific reality of the gang who trafficked women into and within the UK where they were sexually exploited.
Evidence also exposed that the ring leader Ionut Robert Marghiol subjected the victims to rape and physical violence to intimidate and control them.
Following a three-week trial on 30 Jun, Marghiol was found guilty of four counts of rape, three counts of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, four counts of facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, three counts of running a brothel, one count of perverting the course of justice, and one count of actual bodily harm.
He was slapped with 25 years in prison, and handed an indefinite STPO.
Denis Vatafu was also sentenced to eight years in prison, and handed a 15-year STPO.
Two survivors of the gang’s harrowing crimes have bravely spoken out about the abuse they suffered.
She said: “After I arrived in the UK, I started having panic attacks, and even now after so long, if somebody screams near me or is talking to me in an aggressive manner, the panic attacks come back.
“I don’t have any relationship with my relatives; my mum, my sister and one lady friend, who I have known for a long time, are the only ones I speak to.
“My biggest regret is that I hurt my mum, and she has suffered so much.
“When she heard me on the phone, she didn’t know if I was well, if I had anything to eat and so I had to lie to her.”
Another victim said: “Without my knowledge Marghiol made an appointment to a tattoo artist and asked me to have a large tattoo, initially my back but I ended up having it on my right thigh because the tattoo artist refused to do it on my back.
“Marghiol’s intention was to have his portrait on my skin and to be big enough that people could see it.
“I am trying my best to avoid looking at that tattoo, I cover my legs all the time and mentally I feel like I am attached to someone that I don’t want to be.
“He told me that if I have that tattoo, then no one else would want to be with me.
“He and his friend used to joke that when they had put their name on a girl they had “marked” them or “registered” like a car, meaning he owned me.
“His friends said a small name on the girls, but he went next level.”
Abigail Thomas, Senior Investigating officer Detective Inspector from GMP’s serious and organised crime group (SOCG), said: “This investigation was launched when two women came forward to report the horrific sustained abuse and exploitation that they had endured.
“I would like to pay testament to their courage throughout the criminal justice process, in particular giving evidence at the trial, which was crucial in securing justice and ensuring that the two defendants are now safely behind bars and unable to cause harm to other women.
“Criminals committing these offences reap massive profits by preying on and exploiting vulnerable women.
“We remain committed to working with partners to tackle modern slavery and violence against women and girls, and to relentlessly pursuing offenders and disrupting organised crime groups (OCGs) committing this type of offending. We are also committed to working with partners to ensure that victims and survivors receive the protection and support they need.”
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