Police in crack down on ‘modern day slavery’

HAND car washes were raided in a police operation to tackle ‘modern day slavery’.

Officers targeted 45 hand car washes around Cheshire as part of the week-long crackdown on the exploitation of workers.

Officers from Cheshire Police joined with colleagues from agencies including the National Crime Agency, HM Revenue and Customs, Immigration and the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority to identify potential victims and gather intelligence.

Two potential victims were identified and taken to safety. Detective Chief Inspector Gwyn Dodd said: “Modern day slavery is a challenging issue for police and partners to deal with as it is very much a hidden crime.

“People are being tricked by organised crime groups into coming to the UK with a promise of a good job and a better life.

“The operation focused on labour exploitation and has helped us raise awareness and understand better the true extent of the issue.”