Modern slavery: 20 suspected victims found in West Midlands

Two people have been arrested after 20 suspected victims of modern slavery were located in the West Midlands.

Police said the 20 men, who were mainly from Slovakia and Romania, were discovered as part of an investigation into the exploitation of eastern European workers for cheap labour.

Raids were carried out at three restaurants. Modern slavery warrants were executed simultaneously at Ming Moon in Wolverhampton, Wing Wah in Coventry and Red Leaf in West Bromwich at 8am on Tuesday. An associated address in Handsworth was also raided.

Twelve suspected slavery victims were found at the premises in Coventry, five in Wolverhampton and three in Handsworth.

The men have been taken to a reception centre where they will speak to specially trained officers. Police said anyone identified as a victim would be helped into alternative accommodation in partnership with the Salvation Army.

A 49-year-old man and 45-year-old woman, both Slovakian, were arrested on suspicion of slavery offences by providing staff through a recruitment consultancy.

The raids come after the National Crime Agency warned that modern slavery and human trafficking was far more prevalent than law enforcement previously thought, with potentially tens of thousands of victims in the UK.

Will Kerr, the NCA’s director of vulnerabilities, said the real number of victims in 2016 was far higher than the 3,800 identified by official systems.

Ch Insp Sally Simpson, of West Midlands police’s public protection unit, said they often heard about “cruel individuals making large sums of money on the back of the misery of others”.

“These ‘gang masters’ promise a job, accommodation and money, but people end up working long hours, living in poor conditions and being paid next to nothing,” she said.

“This is the 21st century and we are committed to tackling people-trafficking and modern slavery. We are continually looking to raise awareness of what is still a hidden crime.

“We need the public to help us stop such exploitation and report anything suspicious which can help us take firm and decisive action such as this operation today.

“There are some telltale signs to look out for, such as large groups staying in multi-occupancy houses and being transported to and from addresses in vans or minibuses from early in the morning and not coming back until late at night.”

Between May 2016 and April 2017 West Midlands police recorded 208 slavery offences, up from just over 100 in the previous year, with more than 40 people arrested.