14 Hungarian women allegedly forced into prostitution near Slovenska Bistrica since 2014

Criminal investigators in Maribor have concluded a seizure-and-search operation and arrested two men. They are suspected of luring at least 14 socially vulnerable women from Hungary to Slovenia with false promises since 2014, then forcing them into prostitution with threats in the Slovenska Bistrica area. The suspects are a 52-year-old Slovenian citizen and a 72-year-old with Slovenian and Hungarian citizenship.

According to Stanko Vidovič, head of the Maribor criminal investigators, the investigation was initially focused on human trafficking and the dealing of illegal drugs. In the final phase, house searches were carried out this week at seven locations: six in the Maribor, Slovenske Konjice and Murska Sobota areas, and one in Hungary.

Police suspect that the two men, together with others who have not yet been identified, deceived women from socially vulnerable backgrounds in Hungary into coming to Slovenia and then forced them into prostitution with threats. The 52-year-old allegedly played the central role, while the 72-year-old allegedly helped mainly with handling money and organising transport from abroad. Because investigators identified 14 victims who were allegedly exploited over a longer period, the suspects face the same number of charges of human trafficking.

Drugs, weapons and a shot dog

Police accuse the younger suspect of more. According to investigators, he dealt illegal drugs for a long time, allegedly selling them to the victims and others in the wider Slovenska Bistrica area. They seized more than three kilograms of drugs: three kilograms of MDMA, 100 grams of cocaine, and a smaller quantity of heroin and cannabis. On the market they would be worth more than €70,000. He is suspected of at least five criminal offences of unauthorised production of and trade in illegal drugs.

Several firearms and military weapons and ammunition were also seized from him, so he is also suspected of at least four criminal offences of illegal production of and trade in weapons or explosives. He is also suspected of animal cruelty: in March this year he allegedly shot his dog near Slovenska Bistrica.

Custody for the 52-year-old

Investigators filed criminal complaints against both men with the Specialised State Prosecutor's Office, which directed the pre-trial proceedings. The investigating judge of the Maribor court ordered custody for the 52-year-old. The older suspect undertook not to leave his place of residence. A criminal complaint is not a conviction: both are presumed innocent until a court decides.

Already 48 victims this year in two cases

In 2023, police identified 21 victims of human trafficking, in 2024 17, and last year only five. This year, in just two cases, there are already 48: 34 last week in a case of illegal cigarette production in Lendava and 14 in this case.

Bojan Iršič, head of the organised crime department at the criminal police directorate, attributes the jump mainly to intensive and active police work, including covert investigative measures. In his words, this does not necessarily mean there is more human trafficking in Slovenia.