Traffickers see their criminal network and profits threatened when a potential victim has been identified and decides to collaborate with law enforcement. This generates potential risks to victims, their families in the country of exploitation/origin, other victims, as well as the criminal justice system’s representatives. It is therefore the obligation of the first responders and investigators to identify, continuously evaluate and mitigate any risks arising from the investigation of modern slavery/human trafficking offences.

Romanian specifics:
Previous investigation into modern slavery/human trafficking of Romanian origins highlighted a high risk towards the families of the victims which decided to cooperate with the law enforcement in the UK. This usually emerges during the initial investigations, as well as throughout the court stages, and generally materialise in threats towards the victim’s relatives in Romania or approaches made by the traffickers’ associates to “reconcile” with the victim, including through the payment of money. This is meant to discourage the victims to disclose information which may be used against the traffickers or even to withdraw their statements substantiating the prosecution case.  Sometimes such threats or approaches were made directly towards the actual victims, especially when they decided to return to their country of origin and, for various reasons, was not provided with the required assistance in Romania (i.e.: the Romanian authorities have not been notified of the repatriation or the victims decided to leave the safe house and live with their families.

If such information regarding threats or approaches directed towards the victims / their families or relatives in Romania are known by the UK law enforcement, the UK based investigators should make immediate contact, preferably via the Romanian police liaison officers based in the Romanian Embassy in London, with the Romanian law enforcement, with the view of taking the necessary protective measures.

FORMAT:
The information received via the different channels of police cooperation from Romanian law enforcement will usually be structured as follows:
• Identity of the suspects: in the format SURNAME, name (including previous surnames), date/place of birth, parents’ names, registered residence in Romania, ID card and/or Passport data, CNP number;
• Identity and roles of known associates in Romania and the UK;
• Identity of the victim/s in an identical format as for the suspects;
• Whether the victim is in any immediate risk (ie: kept against their will);
• Description of the modus operandi with regards to the recruitment, transportation and exploitation, including type of exploitation and coercive measures employed by the traffickers;
• Data showing the place of exploitation in the UK, this usually includes geographical area, city, and address (if known);
• Vehicles, phone numbers, financial information, used by the traffickers if known to the Romanian law enforcement.
• The availability and resources of Romanian law enforcement able to cooperate in a joint investigation;
• Contact details of the Romanian investigator.

REQUIREMENTS:
Romanian law enforcement will usually request any information that may be available on UK data bases with regards to the traffickers and the criminal activities investigated in Romania. For example, previous encounters with the police in the UK (arrested, investigated, prosecuted, convicted of any offence), known associates and modus operandi, reports where the suspect/s and victims have association or contact, vehicles and phone numbers used.
• Similarly, any data available showing the victim/s engagement with UK law enforcement (i.e: street prostitution, being present when the police raided a location etc);
• The Romanian Police may request their British counterparts to conduct local investigations with the view of confirming/negating the intelligence obtained in Romania, especially when no data is available in the UK Police’s databases.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE vs EVIDENCE:
The information provided/requested at this stage is for police intelligence purposes and protected by the provisions of the Romanian Data Protection Act. Should any of the information obtained via these channels be considered useful for the Romanian investigation, the Romanian authorities will seek to obtain the same information in an evidential format via the Judicial Cooperation Channels.