A major cross-border operation has "dismantled" a major organised Romanian crime gang trafficking women in to Scotland's vice trade.

Hague-based crime-fighting agency Europol said it had co-ordinated operations between Police Scotland and Romania's counter-mafia force DIICOT to raid properties in Glasgow.

The EU-agency said Romanian police officers and a prosecutor - as well as its own experts - had been deployed in Scotland as part of a joint investigation team.

Police Scotland had earlier confirmed that a 29-year-old man had been arrested and another man had been reported to the Procurator fiscal after four raids on Friday.

But Europol - and its sister body Eurojust, which brings together court systems across the bloc - stressed the scale of the operation.

It said: "As a result of joint operational activities carried last week, Police Scotland and Romanian National Police and DIICOT, supported by Europol and Eurojust, have dismantled a Romanian organised criminal network involved in trafficking of Romanian victims, exploited in the sex market in Scotland.

"Supported on-the-spot by Europol experts, the operation was preceded by extensive and complex investigations coordinated by Europol and Eurojust."

The body said four houses were searched and cash, mobile phones and other valuable items were also seized from the suspects. It added: "This operation is the result of a large-scale investigation, ran by the United Kingdom and Romanian law enforcement authorities, to dismantle an organised crime group actively involved in trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation."

Scottish law enforcement figures have long stressed the importance of Europol and Eurojust in tackling increasingly global crimes, such as human trafficking. Eight potential victims of trafficking are now in the care of authorities.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “As part of an ongoing investigation into Human Trafficking and Serious and Organised Crime, Police Scotland, supported by a number of partner organisations visited four properties in the Glasgow area on Friday 8 April 2016.

"A 29-year-old male has been arrested and detained in custody in connection with Brothel Keeping and Serious and Organised Crime.

"A 35-year-old male will be the subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal.”

Some Eurosceptic politicians have questioned the role of cross-border law enforcement, especially European arrest warrants. A spokesman for "In" campaign group Scotland Stronger In Europe said: “There are a number of important practical arrangements in the European Union to fight crime across borders and bring wrong-doers to justice, which help make us all safer. These demonstrate the many gains we get from being in Europe, and why it’s vital that we stay."