Trafficked sex workers saw over 2,000 clients in three months, court hears
The court heard how the women had all been encouraged by a woman to come to Malta and work as escorts, as the work was described as keeping men company, during social events or meals
Over 2,000 men had visited a flat in Msida that was being used as a brothel, between March and June this year, a court was told today, as the compilation of evidence against seven Maltese men and a Romanian man and woman, accused of human trafficking continued.
Inspector John Spiteri from the police Vice Squad continued his testimony, telling Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech how a further 200 clients had attended another brothel in Gżira between July 30 and August 12.
Luke Farrugia (36), Clint D’Amato (36), Denzil Farrugia (19), Alexandra Suhov Procora (32), Nicolae Efimov (37), Kane Vassallo (22), Luca Emanuele Corito (21), Dylan McKay (30), and Gordon Cassar (44), are accused of money laundering, promoting or setting up a criminal organisation, forcing individuals into prostitution, holding persons as bonded debtors, and knowingly living off the earnings of prostitution.
Some of them are also charged with human trafficking for exploitation, assisting in trafficking, and running a brothel. Luke Farrugia and Dylan McKay are further charged with using services from trafficked individuals, with McKay facing further charges related to committing crimes during a suspended sentence and recidivism. D’Amato is also accused of possessing cocaine with intent for distribution.
Cross-examined on the stand today, inspector Spiteri confirmed that McKay would regularly visit one of the sex workers as a paying client.
August 12, targeting multiple locations across Malta, including properties in Birkirkara, Gżira, St. Paul’s Bay, Siġġiewi, Fgura, Gudja, Raħal Ġdid, Ħaż-Żebbuġ, and Isla. The police operations were a result of ongoing investigations into human trafficking and prostitution rings operating within the country.
Spiteri told the court that the women found in the various properties across Malta had all given the police the same account of how they ended up in Malta. They claimed to have met a woman who encouraged them to come to Malta, and work as escorts. The work was described as keeping men company, during social events or meals, and they had been told that it would be up to them to decide whether they wanted to provide additional paid services of a sexual nature to those men.
That same woman had given her mobile phone number to the victims and instructed them to save it as a contact under the name 'Ghost'. Investigators noted that Farrugia himself had given that contact number to the police with respect to previous cases. WhatsApp chats between Kane Vassallo and Luke Farrugia were also found on the device, he said.
Farrugia would use the pseudonym 'Thiago', he said, adding that the police had found conversations between the trafficked women and 'Thiago' informing him how many clients they had seen and how much money they had made in a night.
Inspector Spiteri told the court that Dylan Mckay had organised a promotional photoshoot at a hotel, in St. Julians. The police had questioned the photographer in question, who informed them that McKay had engaged him to take a set of photos of the woman, which were to be uploaded to a website advertising their services.
In one text conversation between one of the victims and Clint D'Amato, the woman had asked D'Amato for guidance about how to handle a client who wanted to have unprotected oral sex. The woman did not want to go along with the request, but in his reply, D'Amato had angrily replied that her job was to “keep the customers happy.”
The police investigations revealed that Luca Corito and Denzil Farrugia would sometimes take the women to the customers, and that Nicolae Efimov and Alexandra Pocora would keep an eye on live feeds from cameras installed both inside and outside the property.
The defence objected when Inspector Spiteri told the court that during her arrest, Pocora had admitted her involvement in the organisation and had indicated Luke Farrugia as the mastermind.
The case continues.
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