A man named Roland Cankaj, 43, was recently found guilty of running a brothel and exploiting women in the sex trade. The court heard that he led an organized crime network that trafficked Brazilian women into the UK for sexual exploitation. The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the ‘Cankaj Brotherhood’ in 2022 and discovered that Cankaj had rented an apartment in Tower Hamlets using a false passport. He would drive young women to different locations and wait for them in the car. Additionally, he was seen taking provocative pictures of young women outside London landmarks to advertise sexual services.
The police found a brothel in Tower Hamlets that was operated by Cankaj. The rooms were minimally furnished and contained items related to sex work. Six victims were identified by the police and interviewed about their experiences. One victim, who worked as a beautician in Brazil, was lured to the UK by Cankaj under false pretenses. She was then forced to have sex with multiple men daily, sometimes up to 15. Cankaj would take half of the money she earned. He was arrested at London Stansted Airport on April 20, 2024.
Detective Sergeant Andy Owen, who led the investigation, stated that Cankaj deceived the women into thinking they were gaining financial freedom through exploitation when, in reality, he was the one benefiting financially. Julie Currie, Victim Navigator Programme Coordinator at Justice & Care, commended the survivor’s bravery in bringing her trafficker to justice. She emphasized that modern slavery is a prevalent issue, with an estimated 122,000 victims currently trapped in exploitation in the UK.
Cankaj was convicted of arranging travel for exploitation, fraud by false representation, and keeping a brothel for prostitution. To learn more about identifying signs of exploitation, you can visit the Metropolitan Police’s website on human trafficking. If you have a story to share, you can email anna.willis@reachplc.com. Stay updated on the latest news in London by signing up for MyLondon’s The 12 newsletter for daily updates.
