An Organised Crime Group (OCG) who made millions of pounds through the exploitation of women in brothels across north London have been jailed for a total of almost 40 years.
A trial for the defendants started at Harrow Crown Court on 5 September 2019. A number pleaded guilty during the trial, the rest continued to deny the offences but were convicted at the conclusion of the trial on Monday, 21 October.
The group were jailed as the result of a proactive investigation carried out by the Met’s Central Specialist Crime Command. The Organised Crime Group (OCG) operated a sophisticated network of brothels through which they sold drugs and controlled prostitutes, generating in excess of £1 million a year.
They were all sentenced at the same court on Thursday, 24 October.
Renato Dimitrov Sacchi, 43 (15.12.1975) of Southbourne Crescent, NW4 originally denied the following offences but pleaded guilty during the trial:
+ Conspiracy to control prostitution for gain
+ Controlling prostitution for gain x 2
+ Being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs
+ Possession of a prohibited weapon x2 (2 x Taser and CS Gas canister)
+ Possession of criminal property
He was sentenced to eight years and 11 months’ imprisonment.
Flavia Xavier-Sacchi, 23 (20.10.1996) of Southbourne Crescent, NW4 originally denied the following offences but pleaded guilty part-way through trial:
+ Conspiracy to control prostitution for gain
+ Controlling prostitution for gain x 2
She was convicted of the following at the conclusion of trial:
+ Possession of criminal property
+ Being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs
She was sentenced to eight years and seven months’ imprisonment.
Raul Sacchi, 49 (08.12.1969) of Dean Street, W1 was convicted of the following after trial:
+ Conspiracy to control prostitution for gain
+ Controlling prostitution for gain x 2
+ Being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs
He was sentenced to nine years and six months’ imprisonment.
Keagan Boyd 34 (09.09.1985) of no fixed address denied one count of possession of a prohibited weapon (Taser) but pleaded guilty during the trial and was convicted of one count of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs following trial.
He was sentenced to two years and two months’ imprisonment.
Henim Almeida, 25 (01.03.1994) of no fixed address was convicted of the following after trial:
+ Controlling prostitution for gain
+ Possession of a prohibited weapon x2 (Taser and CS Gas canister)
+ Being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs
+ Possession of criminal property
He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
The remaining defendants did not stand trial:
Maria Jose Carvalho, 43 (24.07.1976) of Church Lane, NW9 pleaded guilty to:
+ Controlling prostitution for gain
+ Possession of Class A drugs
+ Possession of criminal property
She was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
Anna Paula De Almeida Prudente, 21 (07.04.1998) of Princess Avenue, NW9 pleaded guilty to:
+ Controlling prostitution for gain
+ Possession of criminal property
She was sentenced to one year and two months’ imprisonment.
Antonio Teca Miranda, 34 (30.03.1985) of Grampian House, North Mall, N9 pleaded guilty to:
+ Conspiracy to control prostitution for gain
+ Being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs
+ Possession of criminal property
He was sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment.
Tony Simao, 42 (01.06.1977) of Yarnfield Square, SE15 was convicted of the following after trial:
+ Being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs
+ Possession of a prohibited weapon (2 x Taser)
He will be sentenced at a later date.
Detectives identified a senior level of management within the OCG made up of Renato Sacchi, Raul Sacchi, and Flavia Sacchi. These individuals exercised control over all the brothels. They enjoyed lavish lifestyles and spent the proceeds made from the exploitation of sex workers on luxury holidays, vehicles and jewellery.
The remaining defendants were employed as brothel maids and security guards. The brothels were located at the following addresses:
Cricklewood Broadway, NW2
Aldershot Road, London, NW6
Cricklewood Lane, NW2
Wyndale Avenue, NW9
Norbreck Parade, NW10
Kensington High Street, W14
To protect their criminal enterprise the OCG armed their security with a variety of weapons including Tasers, pepper spray, cattle prods and baseball bats. The guards also oversaw the sale of alcohol and drugs from each of the venues.
Throughout the course of the investigation one female came forward as a victim and told police she was forced to work in the brothels over the course of two months. Her movements were monitored by CCTV and the OCG threatened to have her family in Brazil killed if she tried to leave. In April 2017 the victim escaped and sought help from police.
On 23 May 2018 detectives conducted raids at Cricklewood Broadway and Kenton Court. They arrested Anotonio Teca Miranda.
Further raids were conducted on 6 February 2019 and led to the arrest of Renato Dimitrov Sacchi, Flavia Xavier-Sacchi, Raul Sacchi, Maria Jose Carvalho, Keagan Boyd, Tony Simao, Henim Almeida and Anna Paula De Almeida Prudente.
During the search of the home address of Renato and Flavia Sacchi on 6 February 2019, fifteen packs of cash were found. Also found was a quantity of cash totalling around £50,000, two Tasers and a CS gas canister.
Throughout the investigation detectives examined mobile phones seized from the group. They found charts showing the structure of the OCG with distinct roles of “leadership”, “security” and “operator”. Raul Sacchi described this in correspondence as the “hierarchic flowchart”.
Integral to the operation of the brothels was the use of encrypted messaging. Renato and Raul Sacchi created various digital conversations: separate conversations for the maids at Wyndale Avenue and Norbreck Parade, for “security”, and for the entire staff. The administrators for each group were Renato, Flavia and Raul Sacchi, further cementing their role as the “Leadership”.
Detective Inspector Dan Mitchell from Central Specialist Crime said: “This lengthy and complex investigation has dismantled an Organised Crime Group who were exploiting women across London for their own financial gain.
“Through thorough examination of their devices, detectives found the group saw themselves as a legitimate business which they went to extreme lengths to protect. They employed and armed security guards, and maintained control over all communication between their so-called employees.
“Individuals often are reticent or too afraid to come forward in modern slavery investigations, so it is our job to build a prosecution and dismantle OCGs like this with whatever evidence we can. Detectives spent months using a range of tactics to build a case against this group of criminals, taking an evidence-led approach, to ensure they were convicted and brought to justice. Anyone considering exploiting other human beings for financial gain should expect to face the same level of expert investigation and prosecution.”
+ Flavia Xavier-Sacchi was charged with but acquitted of two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon and conspiring to hold a person in servitude following trial.
+ Simao was charged with but acquitted of one count of possession of criminal property and one count of controlling prostitution for gain following trial.
+ Boyd was charged with but acquitted of one count of possession of criminal property and one count of controlling prostitution for gain following trial.
+ Renato Dimitrov Sacchi was charged with but acquitted of conspiring to hold a person in servitude following trial.
