Police in the coastal city of Varna detained four people on charges of prostitution persuasion, human trafficking and money laundering, Varna police head Dimitar Dimitrov said at a news conference.

The detained were aged between 18 and 35, Focus news agency reported. They will stay 72 hours under arrest.

Policemen detained the four in the town of Dolni Chiflik, after searching three addresses and seizing documents for movable property and real estate, as well as documents indicating involvement in human trafficking and sexual services.

The officers managed to set free a woman, who was detained against her will. The traffickers planned to send her to Denmark on October 19 2007, Focus said.

A 34-year-old man was the leader of the gang. He had a previous criminal record and was sentenced in France for persuasion to prostitution.

Only one of the other members of the gang had a criminal record.

The four transported women to France and Germany and were involved in prostitution since 2002.

Dimitrov said that the police had proof one of the gang’s victims was underage.