Four people accused of 'controlling prostitution' have cases sent to Antrim Crown Court
Four people charged with 'controlling prostitution' have had their cases sent to the Crown Court.
Three accused were in the dock at Ballymena Magistrates' Court and the fourth appeared via video link from prison.
Three men - Florin Ripan (53), Gabriel Manuel Orhean (32) and Ionut Duta (28) - and a woman - Ondina Cordovan (22) - with addresses listed as in Ballymena - are charged with 'controlling' a Romanian woman's 'prostitution'.
They also face charges relating to 'criminal property'.
Orhean and Cordovan are also charged with 'brothel keeping'.
The charges are connected to an investigation by the PSNI's Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Unit.
Arrests were made following searches in Ballymena and Omagh on August 13 last year.
A detective constable told an earlier court a "pro-active" investigation lead by the PSNI's Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Unit focused "on the activities of an organised crime gang involved in prostitution and money laundering offences".
The police officer said a female travelled from Romania and was "initiated into sex work" in June 2023 in the Omagh area.
The officer said a correspondence address for an "adult services website profile link is a Ballymena address".
The officer said a bank account "belonging to the victim" was registered to a Ballymena address.
The court heard Orhean had been arrested the day before he was due to be "flown out" to Romania as part of extradition proceedings.
At the latest court, Orhean was further remanded in custody and the other three were given continuing bail.
The case was adjourned to Antrim Crown Court for arraignment on December 4.