Couple Jailed After Three-Year Modern Slavery Sting
After a relentless three-year probe, police have finally locked up a Smethwick couple responsible for trafficking and exploiting over a dozen women. The pair were caught thanks to intelligence linking them to online ads offering women for prostitution.
Smethwick Pair Snared in Major Human Trafficking Bust
- Luigi Cucu, 46, and Costela Soare, 37, both from Smethwick, Sandwell, were arrested in March 2023.
- Cucu was charged with organising travel for exploitation and controlling prostitution for profit.
- Soare faced charges of controlling prostitution for gain.
Heavy Sentences Delivered at Wolverhampton Crown Court
On November 21, both pleaded guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Cucu was slammed with a hefty nine years and seven months behind bars. Soare was handed a three year and two month jail term for her role in these abhorrent crimes.
“This case shines a spotlight on the ongoing fight against human trafficking and modern slavery in the UK,” said authorities. “It sends a strong message to those exploiting vulnerable women for profit.”
