In 2021, Claudia Anca, a Chingford Sex Offender operating a sexual services enterprise, was incarcerated with her brother and an accomplice after investigators uncovered their exploitation of vulnerable women for personal profit.
Claudia Anca, 27 (31.05.94), and Vasile Anca, 24 (08.01.97), both residing on Garfield Road, Chingford, along with Mihaita Strat, 51 (14.11.70), of Henley Road, Redbridge, were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday, 17 November, subsequent to an extensive investigation conducted by the Metropolitan Police’s Modern Slavery and Child Exploitation Team.
Claudia Anca and Vasile Anca received six-year prison sentences, while Strat was sentenced to two years in prison.
All three initially refuted their participation, and a four-week trial commenced on Monday, 8 November. Consequently, owing to the substantial evidence presented against them, they all entered guilty pleas on Tuesday, 9 November, for orchestrating prostitution. Claudia Anca and Vasile Anca additionally admitted guilt to the distribution of Class A narcotics.
Trafficking charges have been archived without action.
The court was informed that the defendants operated a sexual services enterprise that was promoted on a website. The enterprise facilitated transportation for sex workers to and from a client’s location, whether it be a hotel or residential address. Typically, a consumer would call the number listed in the web advertisements, and a woman would be transported to their chosen location, typically a hotel.
Claudia Anca was responsible for the enterprise. Her phone line received calls from clients, and she coordinated the sex workers. Her brother Vasile Anca had a prominent role, aiding Claudia Anca in managing the business and often providing transportation for the women. The siblings would also supply cocaine upon customer request.
Mihaita Strat also contributed to the management of the enterprise. Occasionally, he assisted Claudia Anca with the website and provided guidance to the sex workers. Similar to Vasile Anca, he too served as a driver, conveying the women to appointments and returning them thereafter.
The court was informed that the trio operated this firm from at least March 2019, when a company named ‘Ace Concept’ was established, with the siblings designated as directors. It seemed to lack a legitimate purpose and was established to support the illegal operation.
Investigators uncovered that Ace Concept was associated with several advertisements on a classified website. Claudia Anca’s telephone number was listed on the individual advertisements for procuring sexual services from the women. Furthermore, the cardholder information of the siblings was included in the advertisements on the website.
Between July 2019 and January 2021, the siblings made 73 payments, amounting to £23,162.99. Mihaita Strat financed certain commercials in August 2020.
During their investigation, investigators found and verified a minimum of six hotel call-outs through CCTV, cellphone, and ANPR analysis. On two instances, the Metropolitan Police sent undercover officers to masquerade as patrons.
On 10 December 2020, an undercover officer called Claudia Anca, and they discussed prices for sexual services and drugs. The officer went to a hotel in Barking, where he met the woman and later had the drugs delivered by Vasile Anca. The officer then made his excuses, paid her in full, and left the hotel. The woman was picked up by Vasile and taken to the siblings’ home address.
The drugs provided to the officer were analysed and confirmed to be cocaine. The packaging was also examined, and Vasile Anca’s fingerprint was found on it.
With enough evidence now collected against the defendants, detectives ran a ‘sting’ on 13 January 2021 with the aim of arresting the trio.
The sting began with an undercover officer calling Claudia Anca and arranging for two sex workers and cocaine to be brought to a hotel in Barking. Shortly before 22:40 hours, Claudia Anca called the officer to say the girls were outside the hotel. He went to meet them, and Strat called out, ‘Did you order an escort?’ to which he replied I did.
The officer told the woman to go and wait inside the hotel. Strat was then arrested by officers, who found £890 in cash in his car as well as a Satnav, which had the siblings’ address in it, and a small zip lock bag, which later tested positive for traces of cocaine.
Police officers later examined the sex workers’ bags – inside were several unused condoms and three black wraps of powder, which later tested positive for cocaine.
At about 23:40 hours on 13 January, officers attended the Ancas’ home address and arrested the siblings. Officers searched the house and seized a quantity of cash and cocaine, several mobile phones and a pink notebook which contained several handwritten financial entries for the business.
Whilst at the police station, Mihaita Strat noticed Claudia Anca and said to an officer under his breath, ‘That is the boss, she is the boss.’
Claudia Anca’s mobile phones were analysed by detectives and contained messages between her and customers, sex workers, her brother and Mihaita Strat. A typical message to the sex workers would indicate the price agreed for an hour, the postcode of the meeting venue and the mobile number of the client. There would also be messages discussing the services requested.
Detectives also found a message on her phone which demonstrated the control that was being exercised. As well as financially controlling the girls, Claudia Anca dictated how the women should look. Officers found a message on her phone that she sent in December 2020, instructing the girls to dress elegantly, with make-up and straightened hair. She said they would be photographed by the drivers before meeting with customers, and if they did not ‘respect her rules’, they would be sent home to get changed or ‘even off.’ The drivers were told not to leave with the girl before she gave her confirmation.
Photos of women posing in their underwear were also found in WhatsApp messages sent from Claudia Anca to Strat, and were similar to those used in the online adverts.
The trio all gave ‘no comment’ interviews and were subsequently charged on 15 January 2021.
Detective Inspector Nigel Penney, from the Met’s Modern Slavery and Child Exploitation Team, said: “This was an excellent investigation by my team of detectives, which resulted in the defendants changing their pleas to guilty due to the overwhelming evidence against them. This criminal enterprise was run and controlled by Claudia Anca, who, along with her brother Vasile Anca and Mihaita Strat, had absolutely no regard for the welfare or safety of the women they exploited for their own greed.
“The Met is committed to keeping London a safe place for everyone and will continue to work behind the scenes to robustly target and bring to justice people like the Anca siblings and Strat who treat people as nothing more than objects to make money.
“We remain absolutely dedicated to doing all we can to protect women and girls, like those who were exploited by the Ancas and Mihaita Strat. The Met takes all reports of exploitation extremely seriously, and I would encourage anyone who has suffered from these kinds of offences to contact the police, where they will be treated sensitively and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated.”
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