Organ harvesting horror
Grisly trade revealed amid alarming rise in human trafficking cases
HUNDREDS of people have been forced into slavery, prostitution and criminal activity amid soaring numbers of human trafficking cases across Scotland.
Police records have revealed at least 530 people have been found to have been trafficked to Scotland from across the world this year alone.
They are among more than 1,400 victims of modern slavery over the past three years, including cases of forced labour, domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, criminality and even organ harvesting.
Charities and politicians have warned that the figures – which are growing year-on-year – are only the ‘tip of the iceberg’, with the current economic crisis making human trafficking a profitable criminal enterprise.
Joy Gillespie, of Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland, said: ‘The combination of the cost of living crisis, significant labour shortages and increased numbers of displaced people makes human trafficking a lucrative business.
‘Whilst the national data shows an increase in the number of victims recovered we know this is only the tip of the iceberg.
‘Human trafficking is commonly referred to as “hidden in plain sight” and we all have a role to play in identifying and reporting concerns in order that more victims can be recovered, supported and live the rest of their lives in freedom.’
A total of 532 potential victims were referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) from January 1 to October 26 this year, compared with 472 in 2021 and 415 in 2020.
The NRM is a nationwide framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery to the Home Office.
This year’s referrals saw 45 cases of domestic servitude, 176 cases of forced criminality – including being made to work on cannabis farms – 241 cases of labour exploitation, and 73 instances of sexual exploitation.
Labour exploitation was also the most prominent category in 2021,
‘This is only the tip of the iceberg’
although figures also included an instance of organ harvesting.
The Police Scotland data, obtained via a Freedom of Information request, revealed that 111 of the victims were children. More than 280 children were referred to the NRM since 2020, with 70 referred in 2021, and 105 in the year before.
Victims were trafficked from more than 50 nations in the past three years, including Albania, Bangladesh, Eritrea and Iran. More than a fifth were Vietnamese.
The region with most instances of potential human trafficking was Greater Glasgow in all three years, with 488 referrals since 2020.
This month, four people were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow after being convicted of human trafficking and brothel keeping.
It followed a police investigation that found they were luring women from China and Thailand on the promise of legitimate employment.
Assistant Chief Constable Bex Smith said: ‘We work with partners nationally and internationally to bring offenders to justice.’
Paul McAnulty of Hope for Justice, a global trafficking charity, said: ‘Sadly, the rise in the number of potential victims of modern slavery being referred into the National Referral Mechanism in Scotland is reflective of the national picture. ’
Tory justice spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘It is shameful that this abhorrent trade in people has been allowed to flourish in Scotland.’
The Scottish Government said: ‘There is no place for any form of human trafficking or exploitation in Scotland. We have increased funding for victims and continue to work in partnership to raise awareness.’