Britain has extradited one of Europe’s most wanted organised criminals to Romania, where he faces charges including human trafficking, murder and money laundering, police said on Friday.
Romanian authorities accused Florin Ghinea, 45, of leading a major organised crime network that sent Romanian women to Ireland, Finland and Dubai for sexual exploitation, Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA)said.
Ghinea, known by the nickname Ghenosu, is also accused of blackmail and conspiring to kill a criminal rival.
Until his arrest in August 2018 at a gym in the town of Watford, on the northern edge of London, Europol had listed Ghinea as one of the continent’s most wanted men.
He was detained on a European Arrest Warrant and flown from London to Bucharest on Wednesday, following the conclusion of extradition proceedings in Britain, the police said.
“Ghinea was arrested as a result of some excellent joint working between the NCA and Romanian law enforcement,’’ said Dave Hucker, head of European operations for the British crime agency.
“His departure is a huge success, and I’ve no doubt our streets are safer as a result,’’ Hucker added.(dpa/NAN)