Prostitution and trafficking gang jailed after 'exploiting women'

Janina Nuta and Ilie Melinte Credit: Met Police

A gang of four who earned tens of thousands of pounds through prostitution and trafficking women have been jailed.

Aliona Pislaru, 39, Janina Nuta, 39, Vlad Harzoparu, 30, and Ilie Melinte, 34, were found guilty of offences under the Modern Slavery Act.

The Romanian nationals were sentenced on Friday at Isleworth Crown Court after a three-week trial.

Ilie Melinte Credit: Met Police

The court heard Pislaru advertised sexual services on classified advertisement websites.

She arranged for the women to be delivered to their client's address for the purpose of prostitution.

Aliona Pislaru Credit: Met Police

Money earned by the women was more than £15,000 a month.

Financial records showed hardly any of the money was given to the women forced into prostitution.

Janina Nuta Credit: Met Police

When police searched an address in Sussex Gardens, Paddington, where Pislaru was arrested, they found 105 mobile phones ringing intermittently.

Vlad Harzoparu Credit: Met Police

  • Aliona Pislaru, of Sussex Gardens, Paddington, was found guilty of controlling prostitution for gain, arranging and facilitating the travel of another person with view to exploitation and conceal/disguise/transfer/remove criminal property. She was sentenced to five years in jail.

  • Janina Nuta, of Highfield Avenue, Brent Cross, was found guilty of controlling prostitution for gain, arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with view to exploitation and conceal/disguise/transfer/remove criminal property. She was jailed for three years.

  • Vlad Harzoparu, of Sussex Gardens, Paddington was found guilty of controlling prostitution for gain, arranging and facilitating the travel of another person with view to exploitation and conceal/disguise/transfer/removal of criminal property and four counts of possession or control of identity documents. He was jailed for three years.

  • Ilie Melinte, of Seymour Place, Paddington, was found guilty of controlling prostitution for gain, arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with view to exploitation and conceal/disguise/transfer/remove criminal property. He has been sentenced to two years in jail.