Five members of a Romanian trafficking network were sentenced to up to 24 years for drugging, raping, and exploiting vulnerable women in Dundee
BY FRANCESCA RAPISARDA
Five members of a Romanian sex trafficking network have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for raping and exploiting vulnerable women across Dundee between 2021 and 2022.
The group, led by 38-year-old Marian Cumpanasoiu, targeted women aged between 16 and 30, supplying them with drugs before coercing them into sexual acts. Cumpanasoiu received a 24-year prison sentence, while his accomplices, Cristian Urlateanu (41), Remus Stan (35), Catalin Dobre (45), and Alexandra Bugonea (35), were given jail terms ranging from eight to twenty years.
During the six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow, jurors heard evidence of how the gang operated from several flats in Dundee, where they plied women with crack cocaine and alcohol. Many of the victims were already struggling with addiction and personal difficulties.
Judge Lord Scott told the defendants they had “deliberately exploited” women at their most vulnerable moments, adding that the group’s actions showed “no trace of empathy or remorse.” He said: “You used drugs to control your victims and believed no one would care enough to report you. You were wrong.”
Investigators discovered that some members of the gang had legitimate jobs, including as food delivery drivers, while simultaneously recruiting women for sexual exploitation. The victims were forced to engage in sex acts, sometimes for money, and encouraged to bring friends to the flats under the false promise of drugs and friendship.
Cumpanasoiu, described in court as a manipulative and controlling figure, was found guilty of ten counts of rape, human trafficking, and keeping brothels. Urlateanu was convicted of six rapes, Stan of four, Dobre of two, and Bugonea of one rape and additional sexual offences.
Three of the offenders had fled abroad before being tracked down and extradited from Belgium and the Czech Republic to face trial in Scotland.
Police Scotland’s investigation initially focused on women trafficked from Eastern Europe, but later revealed that local women were also being targeted. Officers found shocking conditions inside one of the brothels, including stained carpets, debris, and makeshift sleeping areas.
Following the sentencing, the Crown Office released footage showing Cumpanasoiu singing along to the song P.I.M.P. by 50 Cent, describing his behaviour as “callous and arrogant.”
Prosecutor Fiona Kirkby said the case highlighted “a calculated and cruel campaign of abuse,” praising the victims for their “extraordinary courage” in giving evidence.
Detective Chief Inspector Scott Carswell, who led the investigation, said: “These men preyed on those least able to defend themselves. Many victims in such cases may not even recognise they are being exploited, reaching out for help can be the first step toward safety.”
All five offenders were placed on the sex offenders register, with non-harassment orders imposed to protect the victims indefinitely. The judge noted that the gang is likely to be deported once their prison terms are complete.
