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| Romanian court upholds acquittal of UK trafficking suspects | Romanian court upholds acquittal of UK trafficking suspects |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Romanian court has upheld the acquittals of 25 men accused of running a major child-trafficking operation. | |
| The men were arrested in 2010 as part of a large joint operation with British police - where children were rescued in London raids. | The men were arrested in 2010 as part of a large joint operation with British police - where children were rescued in London raids. |
| The men were accused of running a scheme where children were sent across the continent to beg and steal. | The men were accused of running a scheme where children were sent across the continent to beg and steal. |
| Human rights groups have criticised Monday's ruling, which puts an end to the almost-decade long legal saga. | Human rights groups have criticised Monday's ruling, which puts an end to the almost-decade long legal saga. |
| The men were previously acquitted by a lower court in February and the appeal court, based in Targu Mures, said prosecutors had failed to present evidence. | The men were previously acquitted by a lower court in February and the appeal court, based in Targu Mures, said prosecutors had failed to present evidence. |
| They were originally arrested in 2010, along with another man who has since died, in raids with the help of UK police. | They were originally arrested in 2010, along with another man who has since died, in raids with the help of UK police. |
| They had faced charges for trafficking and criminal exploitation of more than 160 unnamed children, being members of an organised criminal network and money laundering. | They had faced charges for trafficking and criminal exploitation of more than 160 unnamed children, being members of an organised criminal network and money laundering. |
| The case centred around the village of Tandarei in south-eastern Romania. The victims and suspects were members of the Romanian Roma community. | The case centred around the village of Tandarei in south-eastern Romania. The victims and suspects were members of the Romanian Roma community. |
| Bernie Gravett, who led the British investigation, told the BBC that he had personally seen "truckloads" of evidence being sent to Romanian officials in 2010. | Bernie Gravett, who led the British investigation, told the BBC that he had personally seen "truckloads" of evidence being sent to Romanian officials in 2010. |
| "I know the evidence is there, I've seen it with my own eyes..." he said. | "I know the evidence is there, I've seen it with my own eyes..." he said. |
| "We convicted 120 people in the UK of child trafficking, child neglect, child exploitation, money laundering, benefit fraud and a range of other crimes. Yet Romania have not convicted a single individual." | "We convicted 120 people in the UK of child trafficking, child neglect, child exploitation, money laundering, benefit fraud and a range of other crimes. Yet Romania have not convicted a single individual." |
| According to Europol, their Joint Investigation Team worked with London's Metropolitan police as well as the Romanian National Police force from 2008. | According to Europol, their Joint Investigation Team worked with London's Metropolitan police as well as the Romanian National Police force from 2008. |
| The 2010 operation involved 300 Romanian and British police officers and about 30 raids, AFP reports. | The 2010 operation involved 300 Romanian and British police officers and about 30 raids, AFP reports. |
| After one raid in Ilford, east London, 28 children aged between three and 17 years old were placed in protective custody. | After one raid in Ilford, east London, 28 children aged between three and 17 years old were placed in protective custody. |
| Police at the time said proceeds from the criminal enterprise were being sent back to fund luxury lifestyles in Tandarei. | Police at the time said proceeds from the criminal enterprise were being sent back to fund luxury lifestyles in Tandarei. |
| Silvia Tabusca, coordinator of the Human Security Programme at the European Centre for Legal Education and Research, was quoted as saying the case represented a "huge failure" of the Romanian justice system. | Silvia Tabusca, coordinator of the Human Security Programme at the European Centre for Legal Education and Research, was quoted as saying the case represented a "huge failure" of the Romanian justice system. |
| "We are talking on the one hand about an extremely vulnerable group of people that need to be protected, a very large group of Roma children. On the other hand, this is cross-border organised crime that puts in jeopardy the entire security of Europe," she said. | "We are talking on the one hand about an extremely vulnerable group of people that need to be protected, a very large group of Roma children. On the other hand, this is cross-border organised crime that puts in jeopardy the entire security of Europe," she said. |
| The initial acquittal, issued nine years after the men's initial arrest, caused a number of NGOs to ask international bodies to "remind Romania of its responsibilities" in regards to trafficking. | The initial acquittal, issued nine years after the men's initial arrest, caused a number of NGOs to ask international bodies to "remind Romania of its responsibilities" in regards to trafficking. |