Three men jailed for operating prostitution ring and trafficking women between Scotland, England and Wales

Three men have been jailed for a combined 13 years for crimes including trafficking vulnerable women between Scotland, England and Wales.

George Filip, 45, Alexandru Moco, 26, and Leonard Banica, 41, targeted 16 vulnerable women, bringing them into the UK to work as sex workers.

A fourth man, Ionela Filip, 34, also worked with the three men to run the prostitution ring and various brothels, exploiting the women for their own gain.

The group evaded detection by transporting the vulnerable women across the border between Newport, Birmingham and Scotland.

The investigation began back in 2020 following reports of suspicious behaviour at properties in Wales.

The men all pleaded guilty to multiple offences and were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday.

George Filip was sentenced to eight years and two months, Banica was sentenced to three years and nine months, Moco was given 15 months, and Ionela Filip was handed a suspended sentence.

Detective superintendent Robin Fuller, of Gwent Police, said: “This was a complex investigation that involved meticulous enquiries, evidence gathering and partnership working in an effort to prosecute this group of people.

“Officers disrupted their criminal business in 2020 when warrants were executed at a number of locations in Newport leading to arrests.

“During the investigation three of the offenders Goerge Filip, Leonard Banica, and Alex Moco all fled the country to try and evade justice.

“However, we worked with our criminal justice partners internationally to bring them back to be held accountable for their crimes.

“The examination of bank accounts showed the group was making huge amounts of cash from the illegal business they’d been running since 2015.

“All initially denied being involved in any criminal activity but with the strength of evidence that we were able to present they pleaded guilty to various offences.”