Children are among record slavery victims
Record numbers of Britons are being flagged up as potential victims of slavery.
UK nationals made up the highest volume of cases passed to a scheme set up to identify children and adults who are at the mercy of slave drivers and traffickers last year.
Investigators said the development was partly driven by a jump in referrals relating to children who were exploited by drug gangs.
Last year 819 UK citizens were flagged to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – more than double the 326 referred in 2016.
The National Crime Agency, which compiled the figures, said the increase in British numbers was largely down to a 66 per cent rise in minors being referred as suspected victims of labour or sexual exploitation.
This was partly due to city gangs branching out into county or coastal towns to sell heroin and crack cocaine.
NCA director Will Kerr said: “It is our assessment that the increase we are seeing here is driven by an increased aware- ness and greater reporting of modern slavery and that is to be welcomed.
“However, it also adds further evidence to our view that the figures almost certainly represent an underestimate of the true scale of slavery and trafficking in the UK.”
He warned authorities are dealing with an “evolving threat” as criminals go into “online spaces” to enable their offending.
Mr Kerr said: “We are also seeing increasing crossovers between slavery and organised immigration crime outside of the UK.”
Home Office minister for crime Victoria Atkins described modern slavery as a “despicable crime”.