Nail salon visited by modern slavery police following 'concern' from public
Police visited a nail bar in Staffordshire after members of the public raised concerns about some people working there. Modern slavery officers carried out 'proactive operations' after the alarm was raised.
The people at the nail salon - which has not been named - gave their full cooperation to police and no further action was taken following the visit on Wednesday, October 16. It comes as today (Friday, October 18) marks Anti-Slavery Day which aims to raise awareness of how to spot the signs of this hidden crime and encourage the public to report any concerns.
Detective Inspector Carla Thompson, from Staffordshire Police's modern slavery and human trafficking team, said: "This week officers from our dedicated team have carried out proactive operations based on intelligence and information from our communities and targeted suspects in ongoing investigations.
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"On Wednesday officers visited a nail bar following contact from the public. Those at the address gave us their full co-operation and we were able to carry out the necessary checks. No further action was taken.
"The more people can recognise and report modern slavery the more effectively we can safeguard victims and bring offenders to justice. So if you suspect modern slavery in your community, please pass on your concerns.
"Signs to look out for include individuals seeming scared or withdrawn, having limited contact with family or the outside world, or being unkempt in their appearance."
A spokesperson for the force added: "Anyone who is worried that someone may be a victim of modern slavery can contact us on 101, or through our Live Chat facility on our website. In an emergency, always call 999. To report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
"We launched Operation Target in May last year and have been working with local police forces to disrupt and pursue criminals who plan, organise and commit serious criminal offences across the county, including drug supply, illegal firearms, knife crime, human trafficking and sexual exploitation."