Police Scotland operation sees 24 arrests over human trafficking

Police Scotland operation sees 24 arrests over human trafficking

A total of 24 arrests have been made after a Police Scotland-led operation targeting human trafficking.

Raids were carried out at four premises in Aberdeen and Glasgow, five in England and 23 in Romania.

Ten people were arrested in the UK in connection with offences related to serious and organised crime and human trafficking, with the remaining 14 being held by Romanian police.

A number of potential trafficking victims were also found.

The cross-border operation was carried out in the early hours of Wednesday.

Officers from Police Scotland’s National Human Trafficking Unit worked with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Romanian Police’s Directorate for Countering Organized Crime / Trafficking in Human Beings Department.

‘No place in Scotland’

Officers from Leicestershire, West Midlands and Northamptonshire police forces were also involved.

The premises targeted in England were in Leicester, Coventry and Northampton.

Det Insp Adrian Wallis, who led the operation, said it followed a “lengthy investigation”.

He said: “The arrests are the result of working closely with our partners in the NCA and officers in Romania over the last 12 months, to identify those involved in this exploitation.

“The investigation isn’t over yet, however, today’s action should send a very clear message: trafficking won’t be tolerated, and we will continue to work with partners, nationally and internationally, to identify those involved in slavery and exploitation and to bring them to justice.”

Det Supt Fil Capaldi, head of Police Scotland’s National Human Trafficking Unit, added: “Human trafficking, exploitation and modern slavery has no place in Scotland.”