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OFFENDER/S IN THE UK

Data sharing between the two jurisdictions is achieved through requests of assistance sent via multiple channels, for the purpose of developing investigations in the requesting country. However, research commissioned by the IASC Office identified that, in the vast majority, the process of cooperation stops after basic checks (PNC, ID database, previous encounters with the law enforcement etc.) have been carried out in the national/local databases of the requested party, data is shared with the partners (subject to Data Protection rules) and the intelligence is recorded in the UK databases. Unless immediate threat to a person is indicated in the initial request/intelligence report, there is little evidence to suggest that resources are being deployed for further checks on the ground or with the view of tasking the local police forces with the development of the information.

TACTICAL OPTIONS

The information received indicates:

ONGOING or RECENT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

HISTORICAL CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

The following tactical options should be explored, as a minimum:
• TASK LOCAL CHECKS ON THE GROUND*;
• RECORD INTELLIGENCE;
• CREATE ALERTS;
• SHARE DATA AND REQUEST (FURTHER) CHECKS IN ROMANIA;
• RISK ASSESSMENT – VICTIM;

* As discussed, although most of the requests of police assistance are sent with the view of obtaining any available data related to offenders/victims/criminal activities from a foreign jurisdiction, they are equally a valuable source of information which, unless otherwise stated, the receiving law enforcement agency could further developed and actioned in partnership with the requesting party.

RESOURCES

ROMANIAN TRAFFICKER: A PROFILE

In 2014, the Romanian Agency against Trafficking in Human Beings (ANITP) attempted the first sociological research on a sample of Romanian offenders. Drawing from a range of socio-demographics the report concluded:

• The overwhelming majority of the subjects (80.5%) in the sample were males;
• They were responsible mainly for setting up of the organised criminal group and its coordination, as well as the support and monitoring of its criminal activity.
• The women involved, on the other hand, appear to be in a relationship or are married to some of the traffickers and tend to play a support role, both emotionally but also in parts of the trafficking activity (recruiting new victims, arranging accommodation etc.).
• 48% of traffickers were married, while 21% live with a partner. Other traffickers were self-declared as single, divorced, or widowed.
• The average age of the traffickers was 36 years old. The younger identified traffickers (aged between 16-35 years) tended to subject their victims to sexual exploitation or forced begging, whereas those over 35 years old were found to be mainly involved in sexual and labour exploitation.
• In terms of education, the level of attainment is average and most of the traffickers have received primary or secondary education only.
• 40% of offenders stated that they had some form of employment when they started their criminal activity, the majority being in low skilled jobs (farmer, painter, lorry or taxi driver, cook, bartender, plumber, shop assistant, musician, security guard etc), but the research could not quantify to what extent they had retained their jobs during their involvement in human trafficking offences;
• Out of the 187 traffickers in the sample, around 36.4% were repeat offenders. Of these most had previous convictions for offences against property (thefts, robberies, fraud) followed by those with a history of crime against persons (including rape and murder, aggravated bodily harm causing the death, sequestration) or road traffic offences. Only one offender had a previous conviction for human trafficking.

CHECKS AVAILABLE IN ROMANIA

The following databases could be checked, via the channels of police cooperation, prior to a formal investigation:
• IDENTITY CARD DATABASE;
• PASSPORT OFFICE DATABASE;
• ROCRIS – ECRIS (PREVIOUS CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS);
• DRIVING LICENCE DATABASE;
• PRISON SYSTEM DATABASE;
• INTELLIGENCE DATABASE;
• INVESTIGATIONS – SPECIAL OPERATIONS;

CHECKS AVAILABLE IN THE UK

The following databases could be checked in the UK, prior to or throughout the criminal investigation:
• Police National Computer (PNC);
• Police National Database (PND);
• Violent and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR);
• National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS);
• Forces Intelligence Unit databases;
• Fingerprinting Database (LiveScan);
• E-Borders database for the collection and analysis of passenger information;
• ACPO Criminal Records Office (ACRO) database;

  A quick guide to Romanian documents

  College of Policing – Standard Investigative Practice

  College of Policing – Suspect strategy

TOP HINT:

TRAFFICKERS, usually:
• are in the possession of the documents / money of the victims;
• play a role of the “spokesman” or “guide”;
• have the knowledge of the whole details concerning the travel;
• people in the group or travelling with the trafficker are reluctant to speak on their own;
• when speaking, potential VOT seeks approval of the trafficker trying to get the eye contact;

IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO IS SUFFERING
IN MODERN SLAVERY PLEASE CALL

In the UK: The Modern Slavery helpline
 0800 0121 700
In Romania: VICTIM HELPLINE
 +4021 313 3100