Man charged with trafficking teenagers remanded in custody (From Enfield Independent)

Man charged with trafficking teenagers remanded in custody

2:40pm Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News By Hermione Wright

A Ponders End man charged with trafficking two teenage girls has been remanded in custody until February.

Odosa Usiobaifo, 34, of Keats Close in Scotland Green Road, appeared at Isleworth Crown Court in connection with the disappearance of the girls from foster care in West Sussex.

The two girls, who had been placed in the private care home by Surrey County Council, disappeared in March this year.

The court has set a provisional date of February 11 2013 for a two-week trial. 

Mr Usiobaifo and Katie Ighha, 25, also of Keats Close, were charged on Tuesday, September 4 with general conspiracy of trafficking for exploitation.

Ms Ighha is due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Tuesday, September 18.

Mr Usiobaifo and Ms Ighha were arrested after a six-month operation led by the Border Agency and Border Force investigation, codenamed Operation Hudson.

The investigation targeted a number of organised crime groups suspected of trafficking young women via London for the purposes of sexual exploitation.