Two arrested in human trafficking operation involving Romanian crime groups

Two men have been arrested as part of a joint operation into human trafficking in Northern Ireland.

Officers from the PSNI worked alongside judicial authorities and police in Romania on the crackdown.

The men, aged 29 and 34, were arrested on suspicion of a number of offences.

The PSNI says the operation was set up to 'disrupt and dismantle' Romanian organised crime groups working in Northern Ireland and Romania. Police believe the group targeted is responsible for recruiting and trafficking people for prostitution and money laundering.

Speaking about the operation Detective Inspector Gina Quinn from PSNI’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Unit said: “This operation, which also included two officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland assisting police in Romania, has been made possible through a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) agreement between the UK and Romania.  

"Eurojust, the EU agency set up to promote co-ordination between member states in relation to serious and organised crime, has partly funded the operation. The operation was assisted and supported by Europol and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Public ProsecutionService in Northern Ireland  and the Service for Countering Organised Crime (SCCO) Romania.   “Working with law enforcement colleagues we believe we may have halted the activities of an organised crime gang involved in controlling prostitution, human trafficking and money laundering in Northern Ireland and Romania.“Crime groups choose to exploit some of the most vulnerable people within our societies, preying on their vulnerabilities and exploiting them for their own ends."“The Police Service of Northern Ireland is determined to try and eradicate all harm caused to our communities and that is why our involvement in this joint operation is a priority."