Maria, 38, is among a growing number of women drawn by international criminal networks into the Balkan nation from impoverished countries on the promise of lucrative sex work and a potential gateway to Europe. The women were either trapped in illegal sex work in Albania or exploited in other European countries. - 'International pimp' -"Albania was once a country of origin for Albanian girls and women who were trafficked," Gjeta said. "Today we face another situation: an international criminal phenomenon whose victims are women from Africa, Asia, and Latin America." "Moving from country to country, from continent to continent, it becomes increasingly difficult to prosecute traffickers," Marcovich said.