Pair jailed for human trafficking

They also searched a safety deposit box held by Konart in Knightsbridge.

The pair, who were operating as part of a Russian and European organised criminal network, recruited vulnerable young Eastern European women,promising them well-paid work as waitresses, shop assistants or dancers.

Once in the UK, they took the girls' ID and travel documents.

They then held the girls to a debt bond of up to £80,000, which they forced them to pay off by working as prostitutes, charging clients up to £200 a visit.

The girls were threatened with violence and plied with ecstasy and cocaine to gain compliance.

In her witness account, one of the victims said the work 'made her skin crawl' and said she felt sick because lots of the clients were 'disgusting.'

She added that she hated her life and new it was harmful to her physical and mental health.

Another victim who testified said: "I felt used and thrown away."

Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland, from the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit, said: "Konart and Kolesnikova recruited vulnerable young women on the promise of well paid employment in the UK.

"On their arrival in London they were forced into prostitution in some of the capital's exclusive areas.

"Traffickers have no regard for the rights or wellbeing of those they exploit.

"Anyone who uses prostitution services needs to be aware that they are part of the exploitation and may be committing offences.

"We worked with a number of foreign law enforcement agencies to secure these convictions and are currently engaged with many countries to convict those who engage in this type of criminality."