Four appear in court over NI trafficking operation

Four people facing a number of charges in a human trafficking operation appeared before court on Thursday

Three men and a woman have appeared before court charged with a range of offences linked to human trafficking.

The individuals, who are all Romanian with addresses in Ballymena, appeared before the town's magistrates’ court on Thursday.

They are all charged with controlling prostitution for gain.

Other charges against them include the use of criminal property and concealing criminal property.

Bail applications made for three of the defendants were refused, and all four were remanded into custody until a hearing next month.

The woman, 21-year-old Ondina Cordovan from Bridge Street, is also charged with brothel keeping.

The men are Ionut Duta, 27, from Chichester Park East; Gabriel Manuel Orhean, 31, with an address given as Maghaberry Prison; and Florin Ripan, 52, from Hill Street.

Mr Orhean appeared before the court, while Ms Cordovan, Mr Duta and Mr Ripan appeared via video link.

An investigating officer said they could connect all four suspects to the charges against them.

Sexual services advertised online

The officer outlined to the court the details of what they described as a year-long proactive investigation, led by the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking unit.

They said it centred on an alleged organised crime gang based in Ballymena, which was believed to be involved in prostitution and money laundering.

The officer described how a “vulnerable female”, who had travelled from Romania, was taken from Dublin to an address in Omagh that was linked to one of the defendants.

From this address, the vulnerable woman “offered sexual services” through adverts posted online.

The officer said the female defendant, Ms Cordovan, was “very much at the heart” of the investigation.

“Police believe that between January and July 2023, Ms Cordovan was in control of the victim’s phone and controlled her bookings,” they said.

They added the vulnerable woman was “isolated” and had no associates in Northern Ireland other than the four suspects.

Bail refused

The police officer said there were telecommunications data connecting the defendants to the case, as well as cash transactions between them in accounts with a “high debit turnover”.

The officer said in Ms Cordovan’s account, there was a turnover of some £167,000 of funds that could not be satisfactorily accounted for.

In Mr Ripan’s account, there was a turnover of some £108,000 of funds that could not be satisfactorily accounted for.

Bail applications were made for all suspects except for Mr Orhean.

Lawyers for Mr Duta and Mr Ripan argued they had jobs and had built lives in Northern Ireland.

A lawyer for Ms Cordovan said she had lived here since she was a child.

The judge ruled against granting bail for the defendants, citing a risk they might interfere with the vulnerable woman at the centre of the case, as well as other potential suspects.

All four defendants will remain in police custody until a review hearing on 12 September.