‘MODERN SLAVES PUT7 TO WORK IN ULSTER’

Cops say ‘only tip of iceberg’ under inquiry

THE PSNI is investigating its first case of forced domestic slavery, it was revealed yesterday.

It is one of 13 such cases – half of which are prostitution related.

Officers say this is just the tip of the iceberg, with other victims put to work in factories, farms and fishing boats.

Will Kerr, Director of Vulnerabilities for the National Crime Agency, told the Mirror: “We are shocked by the scale and extent of it.

“Most people thought slavery was abolished a couple of hundred years ago. It is happening in Northern Ireland.

“A lot of organised crime gangs have realised that whilst you trade in old traditional commodities like drugs - you can sell drugs once and make a profit.

“But actually, if you get a young 18-year-old vulnerable girl who you can make work in a pop-up brothel, you can make significant amounts of money.

“And they will exploit her for a couple of months until she is physically and psychologically ruined and then just discard her. We are seeing lots of that but it is not just forced prostitution with young girls, it’s the construction and maritime industries as well.”

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said: “We believe the investigations we have running are the tip of an iceberg.

“In Northern Ireland we have a slightly insular view of this, thinking it’s a much smaller problem here than in big cities and countries. It’s the same size of a problem here as it is anywhere else.

“Traditionally people associate people trafficking with sexual exploitation, but actually out of the 13 cases we are currently investigating, about 50% of that is sexual exploitation. The rest of it is into forced labour.

“Very recently, we have had the first case in Northern Ireland of forced domestic servitude – where somebody is working for somebody else as a modern slave.

“This is happening day and daily in Northern Ireland, but with increased public awareness I am sure that number would go up. We want to be able to protect and rescue more people.”

Mr Kerr added: “There are thousands of victims of modern slavery and human trafficking across these islands at the minute. There would be hundreds of victims in Northern Ireland.

“You have people who are Eastern European, Vietnamese, Nigerian but you also have people who are Irish and British who have been exploited as well.

“What we have seen is very close connections between the exploiters and the exploited, so you tend to get Romanians and their organised crime gangs exploiting Romanian victims.

“We are asking people to trust their instinct, and if they are not 100% sure, contact the police.

“The modern slavery unit at the PSNI has got a 24-7 response service

and somebody will chat to you.”

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