Five members of a Romanian grooming gang who systematically raped and sexually exploited ten vulnerable women in Dundee have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms, following a harrowing six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow. The convictions, announced on October 27, 2025, mark the culmination of a sweeping investigation—Operation Recloir—launched by Police Scotland in late 2021 to target human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the Tayside area.
The gang, led by Mircea Marian Cumpanasoiu, 38, and including Remus Stan, 35, Catalin Dobre, 45, Cristian Urlateanu, 41, and Alexandra Bugonea, 35, was found guilty of a litany of offences. These ranged from rape and sexual assault to human trafficking, brothel-keeping, drug supply, and possession of a knife. According to BBC News, the group preyed on women aged between 16 and 30, many of whom were already struggling with addiction or difficult personal circumstances.
The court heard that the gang’s modus operandi was chillingly methodical. They plied their victims with alcohol and free Class A drugs—primarily crack cocaine—at parties held in several Dundee flats, including notorious addresses on Bright Street, Gellatly Street, and Perth Road. Detective Inspector Scott Carswell told Sky News that the offenders "supplied the women with alcohol and free Class A drugs at parties, before coercing them into sexual activity, which a lot of them didn’t want to do." The gang’s goal, Carswell explained, was to get the women addicted: "They were so addicted to the drugs that they knew the only way they could get the drugs was to perform the sexual acts that they were having to get involved in."
Victims described being lured to these flats with the promise of drugs and a sense of belonging, only to be ensnared in a cycle of addiction and coercion. One woman recounted an "unlimited supply of crack cocaine and whisky" and being forced into degrading sex games. Another was trafficked into prostitution after being convinced she could make large sums of money, only to have her services advertised online and her earnings taken by the gang. The ringleader Cumpanasoiu, known as "Mario," was found guilty of 15 charges, including running brothels and 10 counts of rape. He was described in court as a "smirking, winking pimp" who showed a "predatory nature" toward women, funding his lifestyle and drug habit from prostitution.
Other gang members played equally disturbing roles. Urlateanu, who lived with Bugonea (herself working as a sex worker), was convicted of nine charges, including rape, assault, and the supply of cocaine. He used money from Bugonea to feed his own crack cocaine habit and pay household bills. Bugonea was found guilty of providing drugs to multiple women, sexual coercion, rape, and sexual assault by penetration. Stan was convicted of trafficking a woman into prostitution and raping three women, often making his victims believe he was their boyfriend. Dobre, also known as "Luigi," was found guilty of gang rape, attempted rape, sexual coercion, and sexual assault.
The court was told that some victims initially believed they were in romantic relationships with their abusers, not realizing they were being "groomed and used." As DI Carswell noted, "Many of the victims believed they were the girlfriends of the men involved and did not realise they were being groomed and used." The gang’s manipulation was so complete that some women became addicted to the drugs provided, their dependence weaponized to force compliance with sexual demands.
The ordeal for the victims did not end with the abuse. During the trial, some of the accused fled the country in an attempt to evade justice. Urlateanu and Bugonea were located in Belgium, while Dobre was found in the Czech Republic. All were extradited back to Scotland in 2024 to stand trial. The presiding judge, Lord Scott, was unsparing in his condemnation, stating that the gang had "deflected, minimised, denied and lied" about their crimes. He told the defendants, "It may be that you thought that no one cared for your victims, meaning you could do whatever you wanted to them without consequence. If so, events have proved you wrong. Each of the women who gave evidence against you found the strength to do so despite their difficulties."
Sentences reflected the gravity of the offences. Cumpanasoiu received a 24-year extended sentence—20 years in jail with a further four years on licence. Urlateanu was handed a 20-year extended sentence (18 years in jail, two years on licence). Stan was sentenced to 12 years, Dobre to 10 years, and Bugonea to eight years. All five were placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely, and Stan was given a five-year Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Order. The Home Office indicated that deportation proceedings would likely follow the completion of their sentences. "Our thoughts are with the victims and survivors who have shown immense bravery throughout their pursuit of justice. We will do everything in our power to deport these vile individuals," a spokesperson said.
The investigation, Operation Recloir, was a multi-agency effort involving Police Scotland and various support organizations. Officers uncovered evidence of serious sexual offending, prostitution, drug supply, and trafficking. According to STV News, detectives worked closely with victims, providing access to agencies for long-term safeguarding. DI Carswell underscored the importance of community vigilance: "Victims are often vulnerable, they may be trapped with limited freedom or options, and sometimes they may not realise that they are in fact victims. That call can be the first step in freeing someone from slavery and exploitation."
The courage of the victims, who testified despite immense personal hardship, was repeatedly praised. Fiona Kirkby, procurator fiscal for high court sexual offences, said, "This gang ruthlessly exploited vulnerable women for their own gain, without any regard for the suffering and trauma they caused. These were truly reprehensible crimes, and the victims must be commended for their courage in speaking out."
The case has sent shockwaves through Dundee and beyond, exposing the grim realities of modern slavery and sexual exploitation in the UK. As James Clarry, chief executive of the anti-slavery charity Justice and Care, told Sky News, "The criminals were prowling the streets of Dundee looking for women who matched the conditions that they knew would make them particularly vulnerable, and then off the back of that, exploited them sexually on a sustained and brutal basis."
While the sentences bring some measure of justice, the scars left on the victims will take much longer to heal. The case stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and the need for continued vigilance, support, and action to protect the most vulnerable in society.
