A Romanian fugitive wanted for sex trafficking has finally been caught by the National Crime Agency (NCA). Manix Lacatusu, 46, was nabbed in Southampton on Wednesday, January 14, after years of hiding in the UK under multiple fake names.
10 Years Behind Bars for Sexual Exploitation
Lacatusu stands accused of exploiting two girls and even trying to smuggle one to Italy in 2015. He dodged a Romanian trial summons but was later convicted in absentia. In May 2024, a court in Gorj county sentenced him to a hefty 10-year prison term.
On the Run Across the UK
- Moved between the Midlands and North West England
- Tracked relentlessly by NCA’s National Extradition Unit (NEU)
- Caught in Shirley Road, Southampton
Extradition in Motion
After his arrest, Lacatusu faced Westminster magistrates’ court and agreed to be extradited back to Romania. He remains in custody as the legal process unfolds. The NCA is teaming up with Romanian authorities to make sure traffickers like him face justice.
