VIDEO | Trafficking convict caught abroad, returned to Moldova after 7 years
He was sentenced to eight years in prison for human trafficking. Had he not fled justice in the Republic of Moldova, he would have been released soon. However, his sentence will only begin to count now that he has been detained in the Czech Republic and extradited to Chișinău.
A 51-year-old man from Ungheni, who was wanted internationally for human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, was detained on April 1, 2026, in Prague and subsequently extradited to the Republic of Moldova.
The operation was conducted by the International Police Cooperation Directorate of the General Inspectorate of Police, and the man has been placed in custody for 30 days.
He had been on the wanted list since 2019 after being pursued by the Center for Combating Human Trafficking of the National Investigation Inspectorate, based on a request from the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases. The individual has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
According to the investigation materials, in December 2011, the accused, along with several accomplices, allegedly recruited a woman and transported her to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. There, the victim was kept in an unofficial residence and subjected to physical and psychological abuse, being forced to provide sexual services for payment.
Under the current legislation, human trafficking is punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years.
