Police Scotland yesterday carried out their biggest ever and most coordinated human trafficking operation.
As a result 36-people were arrested, and 14 cannabis cultivations were discovered
The nationally coordinated operation, which took place on Wednesday, 23 September, was targeting a Vietnamese crime group suspected of human trafficking and exploitation and organised immigration crime.
Around 300 officers were engaged in the enforcement action with simultaneous deployments across Scotland, targeting 47 addresses in Aberdeen, Dundee, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders. Arrests were also made in Birmingham.
There were 35 warrants served and a number of potential trafficking victims were also recovered from several of the addresses.
Officers from across Police Scotland, led by the National Human Trafficking Unit, worked alongside Home Office Immigration Enforcement and HMRC. Enforcement action took place in Northern Ireland earlier this week.
Detective Superintendent Stevie Bertram, Head of Police Scotland’s National Human Trafficking Unit said: “This enforcement action is the biggest and most coordinated human trafficking operation that we have ever carried out, and was the result of a lengthy investigation, working closely with our partners. We took a coordinated approach and the arrests and seizures are the result of this work.
“Human Trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings for the purpose of commercial exploitation, and it has no place in Scotland. It exists in many of our communities and can involve people who are resident legally in the country. The industry of trafficking people has become so sophisticated that it often goes unnoticed.
“We will target criminals who abuse, control and exploit people, working with partners nationally and internationally to bring offenders to justice, and to raise public awareness to help identify victims and ensure they get the support they need.
“I want to thank all of the officers involved who have worked tirelessly to get to where we are today.
“We will continue to use focused days of action to disrupt and identify those who control, abuse and exploit others to bring them to justice.”
Justice & Care deployed two Victim Navigators, based in Scotland, to assist in Operation Kendrew. The Victim Navigator programme provides independent, specialist support. As a result of their training and professional expertise, the Navigators provide trauma informed support at the point of rescue and beyond, recognising that every victim has lived through a different experience.
Debi Lloyd, Head of Counter-Trafficking at Justice & Care, adds ”Trauma-informed support is ultimately about recognising the person before the process. When somebody begins to trust again, to make their own choices and believe that people will do what they say they will do, that can be incredibly powerful.”
