Three human traffickers have been sentenced to jail for their involvement in a sex trafficking ring that exploited women from Eastern Europe in brothels across South West England, including Swindon.
The group, led by 52-year-old Maciej Kozlowski, formerly of Midland Road in Gloucester, was found guilty of trafficking women and also convicted of raping one of the victims. Piotr Lebek, 57, formerly of Faulkner Street in Gloucester, assisted Kozlowski in trafficking operations, while Agata Jankowska, 37, from Stroud Road in Gloucester, and Lidia Grzybowska, 45, from Musselburgh in Scotland, played roles in booking flights, managing phones for appointments, and controlling victims' actions.
The investigation, conducted by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit in collaboration with Gloucestershire Constabulary and Wiltshire Police, revealed that the group trafficked at least 20 women over two years, predominantly from Poland, to work in brothels across various locations.
In sentencing at Bristol Crown Court, Kozlowski received a 14-year prison term, Lebek was sentenced to seven years and six months, and Jankowska received three years and four months. All three will be placed on the Sexual Offenders Register for five years.
Grzybowska's sentencing is pending.
The convictions were secured with evidence including records of movements, thousands of messages arranging appointments, photos for online adverts, and reports of cash collected from victims.
Detective Superintendent Charlotte Tucker, who led the investigation, condemned the exploitation of vulnerable victims and emphasized the importance of recognizing and reporting signs of trafficking.
Detective Inspector Rory Ainslie from Gloucestershire Constabulary's Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit commended the victims for their courage and cooperation, highlighting the collaborative effort across agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.