Three people have been detained by the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) prosecutors in a case investigating the exploitation of people with hearing and speech impairments, DIICOT informs in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Sunday, write Agerpres.

DIICOT prosecutors with the Central Structure have ordered the detention of three people under investigation for the offences of setting up an organised criminal group, trafficking in persons in a continued form, blackmail and retaliation for the help given to Justice.

Prosecutors allege that the three defendants threatened and assaulted some of the victims who provided information about the criminal activity. The investigators also say that they constantly used psychological violence (insults, threats, intimidation, tracking and surveillance) to make the victims agree to work for the benefit of the organised criminal group, not to earn their living on their own, to be compliant and not to report to the authorities.

However, according to DIICOT, in the course of the criminal activity, the members of the group would have constantly increased their financial claims by demanding higher and higher amounts from the victims, by means of psychological and/or physical violence.

A precautionary asset seizure was instituted on three apartments located in Bucharest and several bank accounts in RON and euro, the source said.

On Sunday, the judge of rights and freedoms of the Bucharest Court was notified with the proposal of preventive arrest of the three, for a period of 30 days.