AN ALLEGED sex trafficker has been remanded in custody.

Danut Cretu, 25, is said by prosecutors to have been involved in a “lover boy” scam, with a Romanian gang tricking women into coming to the UK then forcing them to work in brothels in Swindon.

He was arrested on a European warrant after contacting detectives, extradited by the French authorities and put before Swindon magistrates this morning.

Appearing via video link from Gablecross police station, Cretu, who gave an address of The Chase, Croydon, entered no pleas to allegations of money laundering, arranging the travel of another person with a view to exploitation and conspiracy to arrange the travel of a person with a view to exploitation. The offences are alleged to have been committed between 2015 and 2018.

The charges are indictable-only, meaning pleas can only be taken at the crown court. His barrister, Iona Nedelcu, said Cretu denied wrongdoing. A number of other co-defendants are expected to stand trial at Swindon Crown Court later this year.

Magistrates remanded Cretu in custody to appear before the crown court on April 19. As he was remanded, Cretu said through the interpreter: “But it’s not correct.”