'Most wanted' Florin Ghinea extradited to Romania

Florin Ghinea, 43, faces extradition to Romania to face criminal charges

A man accused of being the head of an organised crime network has been extradited to Romania 18 months after his arrest in Hertfordshire.

Florin Ghinea, 45, one of Europol's most wanted men, was detained as he left a gym in Watford in August 2018.

Ghinea, nicknamed "Ghenosu", is wanted by the Romanian authorities on human trafficking, conspiracy to murder, blackmail and money laundering charges.

Dave Hucker from the National Crime Agency said it was "a huge success"

He said: "I've no doubt our streets are safer as a result."

Ghinea was arrested by officers from the National Crime Agency's Armed Operations Unit (NCA) in an operation supported by Hertfordshire Police on 14 August 2018 on a European Arrest Warrant.

He is accused of orchestrating a trafficking ring which saw Romanian women sent to Ireland, Finland and Dubai for the purposes of sexual exploitation, as well as conspiring to kill a criminal rival.

The NCA said he was flown out of Heathrow to Bucharest to face trial following UK extradition proceedings at Westminster Magistrates' Court.