A court heard on Wednesday how a gang member allegedly involved in human trafficking racked in €75,000 in two years.

Police Inspector John Spiteri gave details during proceedings against Luke Farrugia, 36, Clint Lawrence D’Amato, Denzil Farrugia, 19, Kane Vassallo, 22, Gordon Cassar, 44, Luca Emanuele Corito, 21, Dylan McKay 30, Alexandra Suhov Pocora, 32, and her partner Nicolae Efimov, 37.

They stand accused of involvement in a human trafficking racket which lured Colombian women to Malta with an offer of work but then forced them into prostitution in several brothels in the Msida and Gzira area.

They saw over 2,000 clients in three months in just one of the brothels. 

The accused are pleading not guilty.

In his testimony Spiteri confirmed that although Vassallo was not involved in the process of bringing the foreign nationals to Malta, WhatsApp messages indicated that he was aware of their arrival from Colombia, referring to them as “new stock.”

As for Corito, the inspector confirmed that the defendant had contacted one of the victims only once. There was evidence showing that Corito knew that he was instructing one of the victims to render services outside the apartment. He was allegedly paid €400 for that job.

Luca Emanuele Corito. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Cassar allegedly received some €75,000 in his Revolut account in less than two years.

Deposits of €55 were made at intervals throughout each night, thus possibly indicating that those were payments for 30-minute services rendered by the prostitutes.

After that testimony and submissions by the defence the court, presided over by Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, decreed that there was sufficient prima facie evidence for all nine defendants to stand trial on indictment.

Later in the afternoon, the court delivered a decree whereby it upheld the bail request in respect of two of the defendants, denying bail to the other co-accused.

Pocora was granted bail against a deposit of €5,000, a personal guarantee of €15,000 and signing of the bail book three times weekly.

Corito was granted bail against a deposit of €8,000, a personal guarantee of €12,000 and daily signing of the bail book.

The court also imposed a curfew on both.

AG lawyers Ramon Bonett Sladden and Charmaine Abdilla are prosecuting together with inspectors John Spiteri, Joseph Xerri and Dorianne Tabone.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, Charles Mercieca, Roberto Montalto, Kathleen Calleja Grima, Joe Giglio, Michaela Giglio and Nicholas Mifsud assisted various defendants.

Lawyers Lara Dimitrijevic and Stephanie Caruana are appearing for the victims.