Police said Monday that they have broken up a trafficking ring in Moscow that forced women from the former Soviet republic of Moldova into sexual slavery.
Six Moldovan women were freed and one 45 year-old Moldovan man arrested as a result of the operation, the police said in a statement.
"After arriving in the Russian Federation, the group put the women in flats or houses in the Moscow region, took their documents and, with threats or beatings, forced them to work as prostitutes," the statement said.
Police said the women were recruited in Moldova, a small landlocked country sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, with the promise of jobs in Russian cafes and bars. Moldovans do not need visas to enter Russia.
Moldova is the poorest country in Europe, with more than 25 percent of its population living below the poverty line, the World Bank said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
