Latest news with #modernSlavery
BBC News
06-07-2025
- BBC News
'We found three potential slaves hidden in a lorry in Surrey'
"We found three suspected victims of modern day slavery hidden in a lorry," said Det Ch Insp James Ansell, describing the moment his officers entered the vehicle near a stretch of the M25 known by police as a "hotspot" for finding trafficking victims. "One of them was a man who was strapped into a concealed compartment and we had to cut him free."Three men were recently jailed for their part in trafficking the victims from Vietnam. The section of the motorway near Cobham is one of the most common areas for officers to pick up migrants and trafficked people in Surrey - which they describe as a "transit county" for gangs arriving from the Channel ports. BBC South East recently revealed how there had been an increase in the last year in detections of people attempting to board UK-bound vehicles at the ports in France. This recent case illustrated how a tip-off at a service station led to a swift police response and the recovery of trafficking victims. Strapped and concealed Det Ch Insp Ansell, from the anti-corruption unit at Surrey Police, told BBC Radio Surrey: "We had a report of two lorries with multiple people being taken from the lorries and placed into other vans and taken away."We found one of the lorries still parked up. When they [officers] entered the cab, they found a man and a woman inside, hiding in the back, and then a second man, was found strapped into the top compartment, behind the cab in the interior, wedged in, behind items to conceal him. "The straps were so tight he actually had to be cut out by officers."They'd been kept in there for a week and were purely surviving on bread and water."By their appearance I've got no doubt they weren't eating or drinking much in those last few days or few weeks." Between January 2023 and January 2025, Surrey Police said they recorded 26 cases of people being found in a lorry, or confirmed to be involved in a "lorry drop". "The most usual place we find these happening is at Cobham or Clacket Lane services," Det Ch Insp Ansell said."They do remain a hotspot for the South East for people exiting lorries, or being dropped off here, or being put into other transport."The main reason being, it's the main arterial route from the ports, and Surrey is a transit county."They've come into the country and they may stop here to get into another vehicle, or to refuel." Roadchef, which runs Clacket Lane services on the M25 in Surrey, said it had "zero tolerance" for any criminal or illegal activity on its sites and would "work closely with relevant authorities" when spokesperson added: "The welfare, safety, and security of our customers, staff, and visitors is our highest priority. "All our sites are monitored by CCTV and thermal imaging to help maintain a safe environment. " Nam, not his real name, from Ha Tinh, in Vietnam, was smuggled into the UK in a lorry and forced to work on a cannabis recently told BBC South East how he was beaten, and forced to work 19 hours each day and had no chance of escape. But he is not figures show more than 3,000 people who arrived from Vietnam last year were referred to agencies as suspected charity Unseen, which runs a modern slavery helpline, said it was still getting many calls every year about potential Carter, the charity's executive director, said: "Demand for the helpline continues to grow, with nearly 1,000 calls and contacts per month."Last year 3,030 people were identified in the UK as potential modern slavery victims, following calls to the helpline. The government said it was ramping up immigration enforcement to tackle the criminal gangs behind modern found to be carrying an illegal migrant can face a fine of up to £10,000 for each "clandestine entrant".Security had been stepped up at the ports in France over the last 10 years to deter smuggling and trafficking in freight, the government a recent report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration said the threat from smuggling gangs "remains high and is unrelenting". A Home Office spokesperson said the government was introducing new legislation to crack down on said: "Border Force officers have discovered inhumane cases of migrants being crammed into the backs of lorries or heavy-goods vehicles for many years."
BBC News
04-07-2025
- BBC News
Eight arrests in immigration and slavery inquiry in Essex
Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences following an investigation into modern slavery and organised immigration men and one woman were detained after Essex Police visited businesses in Chelmsford and Maldon to check on the welfare and legal status of the people working eight people were arrested, they said there were "no causes for concern at the majority of businesses visited".The operation included officials from the immigration service, the local council and a charity worker. Sgt Matt Dalby said: "We were looking for evidence of organised immigration crime and to identify victims of modern-day slavery and forced labour, as well as suspects that may be responsible for facilitating that kind of criminality."Those detained may initially be reluctant to tell us why they're at the premises but once they are spoken to away from that environment, they may disclose they are victims of exploitation."He added: "This was an intelligence-led operation, and we will continue to ask the public to report to us whenever they have suspicions or are worried about the welfare of individuals they may encounter." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- BBC News
Eighteen arrested in Lincolnshire county lines drugs crackdown
Twenty-seven people, including four children, have been protected from county lines drugs gangs during a crackdown in Lincolnshire which led to 18 arrests, police seized drugs worth £25,000, a haul of weapons, counterfeit notes and 4,000 cigarettes during the week-long targeted raids by Lincolnshire Police, in which potential cuckooing victims were found at 31 addresses.A 22-year-old man was charged with drug crimes and a modern slavery offence, while 17 other people were arrested for various drugs and robbery force said it had dismantled two suspected county lines groups during the operation between 23 and 29 June. Cuckooing involves individuals or gangs manipulating vulnerable people to gain access to their properties for drug operations. Det Supt Kerry Webb said: "These gangs use runners, often vulnerable people, to deliver the drugs."It is exploitative and often violent. The networks are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence - including sexual violence - and weapons."She said four children and 23 adults who were being exploited had been Moran, 22, of Brooksby Lane, Nottingham, was charged with being involved in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin in the Grantham area, and exploitation under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. He was remanded into force said £2,215 in cash and £5,000 in counterfeit notes had been confiscated, along with two vehicles, air rifles, a pistol and 13,700 grams of lines is the term used to describe drug-dealing networks connecting urban and rural areas, using phone lines across the Webb added: "Our communities play a huge part in the success of cracking down on this by providing much-needed intelligence around drug-dealing, suspicious activity, or vulnerability, and we would encourage people to continue to do this." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
The Sun
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Ministers have no idea how many migrants overstay their visas and work illegally, say worried MPs
MINISTERS have no idea how many migrants overstay their visas and work illegally, say worried MPs. Home Office staff fail to check exit data under the skilled worker visa scheme, they claim. A damning report by Parliament's Public Accounts Committee found ministers have not even checked exit data since the skilled worker visa scheme was launched in 2020. More than 1.18 million people have come to Britain on the visas, including thousands to fill care home jobs. But MPs claim officials do not know "what proportion of people return to their home country after their visa has expired, and how many may be working illegally in the United Kingdom.' The PAC also revealed 'widespread evidence of workers suffering debt bondage, working excessive hours and exploitative conditions', with little action taken to fix it. Committee chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP blasted: 'There has long been mounting evidence of serious issues with the system, laid bare once again in our inquiry. 'And yet basic information, such as how many people on skilled worker visas have been modern slavery victims, and whether people leave the UK after their visas expire, seems to still not have been gathered by Government.' It comes an investigation by The Sun uncovered the shameless criminality of asylum seekers earning cash from takeaway drop-offs while living on taxpayer handouts. Secret Uber Eats kitchen cooking 'Big Boi Burgers' brazenly set up in tax-funded asylum hotel is SHUT DOWN 1
The Sun
28-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
How car washes are being fined £3m a year for hiring illegal migrants to work – is your local firm among them?
DODGY car washes hiring illegal migrants have been fined £12million over the past four years — with most of it not yet repaid. Shady bosses behind a surge in modern slavery who pay smuggled-in workers next to nothing are simply closing down or selling up after being nabbed to avoid stumping up. 5 5 5 Figures obtained by The Sun on Sunday show the number of street corner firms fined has rocketed 800 per cent since 2021, and £8million in fines is still outstanding. One MP said the level of illegal working was the 'tip of the iceberg' and the Car Wash Association insisted the problem should have been 'nipped in the bud'. As well as being fined, company directors caught using illegal workers can face up to five years in jail or be banned for good. The Home Office publishes names and addresses of firms do not pay. But when we visited several premises, the owners claimed to know nothing of the penalties. One was Sham Car Wash in Grindon, Sunderland, fined £45,000 last year — equivalent to the penalty for one illegal worker. When we called, there were two workers and Saman Maijd, 40, from Iran. He said he and his brother took over at Christmas, after the fine's issue. He added: 'My brother owns the business. I don't know much about what happened with the fine. 'We have to put down the names of the employees in the books. If they don't want to be in the books, then we don't want to employ them. If you don't do it properly, you bring trouble for yourself.' We also went to what had been the Car Clean Centre Hand Wash in Coventry whose owner, Mohsin Aziz Abulkarim, was ordered to pay £180,000 last year. However, we found a new business — Express Hand Car Wash — registered under a new owner. Two workers refused to comment on the fine when approached. Our reporter also called at what had been the Mr Clean Car Wash, on Crown Street, Bradford, which was penalised £80,000. Channel migrants queue for cash in hand jobs as secrets of UK's £260bn illegal economy revealed Again, we were told the business, now called the Dr Clean Car Wash, had swiftly changed hands, the new owner saying he had been running the firm for six months. There is no suggestion any of the companies are operating illegally or employ illegal staff now. Last night, Tory MP Neil O'Brien said those caught were 'the tip of the iceberg'. He said there was a huge amount of modern slavery. He added: "Companies are making a lot of money based on business models on employing illegal, often exploited immigrants. The Government has failed to get a grip." Some suffer with awful skin rashes because they have no protective equipment. Alexander Russell According to Home Office figures, only 18 car washes failed to pay fines for employing migrants in 2021, totalling £289,000 in all. By last year, the figure had surged to 158 businesses owing £7.9million, a 778 per cent jump. Government sources stressed that part of that came under the previous Tory administration and fines had increased under Labour. Alexander Russell, the head of strategy for the Car Wash Association, said: 'These are just the ones who have been caught. I'm sure it's a small minority of the total. 'When they get fined, they close the shop and reopen the next morning under a different name. 'It's difficult to recover these fines because they liquidate the company, and they also say they need more time to pay them. 'The problem was not nipped in the bud in the early days.' 5 5 On the conditions the migrants work in, he said: 'Some suffer with awful skin rashes because they have no protective equipment." Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has vowed to ramp up raids on businesses that hire illegal workers. Last year, Vittorio Dragoti, 28, owner of Fiveways Car Wash in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was fined £180,000 and banned as a company director until 2032 for hiring four illegal Romanian workers. And Iraq-born Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Iran-born Ali Khdir, 40, admitted people smuggling — operating out of a car wash in Caerphilly, South Wales. Security minister Dan Jarvis said the Government is trying to tackle illegal work. He added: 'Since we took office, we have taken swift action to clampdown on this criminality, with arrests up by 51 per cent and visits up by 48 per cent.'
