Alleged sex traffickers spent hundreds of euro on sex toys, condoms and lubricants

Local traders have testified to having sold flights to and from Colombia and hundreds of euros worth of sex toys, lubricants and condoms to individuals now accused of running a human trafficking operation.

This emerged as Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech presided over a sitting on Tuesday, in the compilation of evidence against Luke Farrugia, Clint D’Amato, Denzil Farrugia, Alexandra Suhov Procora, Nicolae Efimov, Kane Vassallo, Luca Emanuele Corito, Dylan McKay and Gordon Cassar.

The nine defendants are accused of money laundering, promoting or setting up a criminal organisation, forcing individuals over 21 years of age into prostitution, holding persons against their will in a brothel as bonded debtors, knowingly living off the earnings of prostitution and running a brothel.

One witness, who works at a travel agency, recognised Luke Farrugia and Gordon Cassar in the dock today, telling the court that Farrugia would regularly buy flight tickets to and from Colombia for “friends” - in cash.  

Farrugia had first called at her office in mid-2019, said the witness, but he soon became a regular customer.

Prices for the flights he would buy would fluctuate between €1000 and €1,700 depending on the time of the flights and other external factors, said the witness, who also said that she would handle invoicing for Farrugia, who would pay for the tickets at her office, in person.

“When I used to handle the bookings, I would receive them on my mobile phone. I have the mobile number that was used to contact me but the messages themselves had been sent with a disappearing timer and have since been erased.” She read out the number, but said she could not confirm to whom it belonged.

Cassar had once bought flight tickets and a hotel stay to attend a concert in Madrid.

Amongst the other witnesses who testified today was the owner of a sex shop in Qormi.

He recognised Gordon Cassar and Clint D’Amato in the courtroom, telling the court that they would buy condoms, lubricants and sex toys from his shop, he said. They had done so “a few times”, he said, and had bought around €200 worth of condoms alone. Alexandra Pocora was also an occasional customer of his, he said.

Two neighbours who live near the property allegedly used as a brothel also testified today, telling the court that they had noticed a variety of men going up and down the stairs to a particular apartment in their block over the past year. This had stopped around April or June, one said.

The other resident identified Luke Farrugia as having carried out maintenance works in the apartment in the year before.

The press was then ordered out of the courtroom and the sitting continued behind closed doors in order for the court to hear testimony from a number of men who had bought sex from the Colombian women.

Police inspectors John Spiteri, Joseph Xerri and Dorianne Tabone are prosecuting, together with lawyers Ramon Bonett Sladden, Charmaine Abdilla from the Office of the Attorney General. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, Mario Mifsud, Nicholas Mifsud, Charles Mercieca, Roberto Montalto, and Kathleen Calleja Grima are assisting the accused.