A criminal gang has been convicted following the longest trial relating to trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women.

The group trafficked women to the UK, with some raped and forced to work at a brothel in Waltham Forest and 12 other boroughs.

The majority came from Hungary after responding to adverts for jobs in administration, cleaning and babysitting.

Some were forced to have sex with up to 20 men a day under the threat of violence, Croydon Crown Court heard.

The gang was based in a make-shift call centre at a semi-detatched house in Parkview Gardens, Brent Cross and used more than 40 mobile phones to organise bookings.

Each phone had details of the victims' working names, fees and brothel locations taped to them.
Det Sgt Alan Clark, of the Trafficking and Kidnap Unit, said: "Many of the victims have been deeply traumatised and displayed signs of severe distress.

“One victim's graphic account actually brought the interpreter to tears.

“I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of these women during what has been a very lengthy case"

"The group applied a cold business mentality to their crime, treating women as no more than a commodity.

“We found four laptop computers lined up in a row, all logged on to a website offering sexual services.

“Often the women weren't even aware of the services they were expected to provide.

“There was even an automated system in place to regularly refresh the advertisements they had placed."

Krisztian Abel, 33, from Ilford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK for sexual exploitation, conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for sexual exploitation and conspiracy to control prostitution for gain.

Vishal Chaudhary, 35, from Brent; Kunal Chaudhary, 32, from Manchester; Szilvia Abel, 24, from Budapest were all found guilty of the same offences.

Attila Kovacs, 33, from Barnet was convicted of conspiracy to traffic persons to the UK for sexual exploitation.

Beata Herman, 27, from Sutton, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to control prostitution for gain.

A date is yet to be set for sentencing.