Phoenix, Arizona - A Romanian national wanted in France for sex trafficking young women and forcing them into prostitution was turned over to Romanian authorities Wednesday at Henri Coandă International Airport in Bucharest, Romania, by deportation officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Cosmin Diamant, 28, was transferred by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) to the custody of the Romanian police. Diamant’s repatriation follows his arrest at his Phoenix residence in April by officers with ERO and ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). He was detained by ICE on administrative immigration violations after the agency learned through Interpol about an outstanding warrant issued by a French judge which charges him with human trafficking and forcing females into prostitution. In August, an immigration judge ordered Diamant removed from the U.S., paving the way for this week’s repatriation.
According to that French warrant, issued Oct. 21, 2013, Diamant was involved in a large-scale international network that trafficked Romanian women to France where they were forced into prostitution. Convicted of the charges in absentia, Diamant was sentenced to five years in prison.
“Human traffickers who sexually exploit women for profit and believe they can evade justice by fleeing to the U.S. should heed this warning, ‘you’ll find no refuge here,”’ said Enrique Lucero, field office director for Phoenix. “ICE continues to work tirelessly to identify and repatriate fugitives like this individual to ensure they’re made to answer for their alleged crimes.”
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with the HSI’s Office of International Operations, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the United States.
Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE tip line at 1 (866) 347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.