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 ONGOING CRIMINALITY

Modern Slavery offences are, most of the time, committed across several national and international jurisdictions. Investigating the criminality committed in the UK and providing the assistance necessary to the potential victims is fundamental for the UK agencies but so is engaging early, on a police-to-police basis, with the partners from the countries of origin and transit. This is essential not only with the view to checking the information received and corroborating evidence to strengthen prosecution in the UK but also because, essentially, the first stages of the human trafficking process take place in a foreign jurisdiction and very often involves other members of the organised crime group, thus requiring a concerted effort in order to dismantling the entire criminal enterprise.

TACTICAL OPTIONS:

Checks have been undertaken into all the available UK databases and:

THE OFFENDER IS KNOWN IN THE UK SYSTEMS

THE OFFENDER IS NOT KNOWN BUT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THE INFORMATION

The following tactical options should be explored, as a minimum, with the view of developing the existing data:

1. INTELLIGENCE ON:
• PREMISES
• LIFESTYLE SEARCHES – EXPERIAN, etc.
• RIPE CHECKS
• TASKING
• UNDERCOVER DEPLOYMENT and SURVEILLANCE

2. ADVERTISING / RECRUITMENT
3. CCTV
4. TRAVEL/TRANSPORTATION/ ANPR
5. COMMUNICATIONS
6. FORENSIC EVIDENCE
7. FINANCIAL
8. CONSULTATION WITH PARTNER AGENCIES
9 ANALYSIS

THE OFFENDER IS NOT KNOWN AND NO APPARENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT

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;

*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 then shared with the partners (subject to Data Protection rules) and the intelligence is recorded on 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 to tasking the local police forces with the development of the information.
As discussed, although most of the requests of police assistance are sent with the view to 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.

ADDITIONAL TACTICAL OPTIONS

SHARE RESULT & REQUEST FURTHER DATA FROM ROMANIA

RESOURCES:

OBTAIN TACTICAL ADVICE from the Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Unit (MSHTU)

Operational and tactical advice on Modern Slavery/ Human Trafficking investigations as well as Referrals to the National Referral Mechanism and victim’s care advice can be obtained through the dedicated MSHTU’s Tactical Advisors:

NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY
Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Unit (MSHTU)


Postal Address: NCA, PO BOX 8000, London, SE11 5EN

+44 (0) 844 778 2406 (24 hours)

UKHTC@soca.x.gsi.gov.uk

 

  College of Policing: Major investigation and public protection / Modern Slavery

  College of Policing : Intelligence collection, development and dissemination

  Home Office: Code of Practice on the Management of Police Information

INDICATORS OF MODERN SLAVERY / HUMAN TRAFFICKING FOR:

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

THE FOLLOWING ARE NON EXHAUSTIVE INDICATORS FOR POTENTIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
• Victim cannot refuse clients, is forced to prostitute (when sick or pregnant);
• Victim cannot refuse to have unprotected and/or violent sex or control of number of clients or types of activities;
• Victim does not keep the money they earn;
• Victim is controlled (always accompanied outside, denied breaks, days off, free time);
• Untreated STDs (Sexually transmitted diseases);
• Victim is moved from place to place and is prevented from outside contact/friends;
• Victim could have tattoos or other “branding”;
• Has clothing only appropriate for sex worker;
• Sexual knowledge and experience is not age appropriate;
• Physical interaction with adults is not age appropriate;
• Only know sex-related words in the local language;
• Often appear intoxication/addicted;

LABOUR EXPLOITATION

THE FOLLOWING ARE NON EXHAUSTIVE INDICATORS OF POTENTIAL LABOUR EXPLOITATION:
• Poor working conditions (gross violation of labour laws (safety) and collective agreements);
• Workers live where they work;
• Workers are denied breaks, days off, and free time or work on call;
• The employer cannot show contracts, insurances or registers;
• Workers don’t know how much they earn;
• Victim is moved from place to place and is prevented from outside contact/friends;
• There are signs of malnutrition or untreated work related injuries;
• Lack of safety equipment and work appropriate clothes and uniforms;
• Sexual knowledge and experience is not age appropriate;
• Workers are forced to undertake dangerous work without appropriate equipment or training;
• Lack of weather appropriate clothing;

DOMESTIC SERVITUDE

THE FOLLOWING ARE NON EXHAUSTIVE INDICATORS FOR POTENTIAL DOMESTIC EXPLOITATION:
• Victim lives with the family but are not treated as members of the family or employees;
• Victims don’t eat with the rest of the family;
• They have no private space of their own;
• They sleep in an inappropriate space;
• Have no standard work hours: work “on call”;
• Victim is prevented from outside contact/friends;
• Minimal payment or charged excessively for “room and board”;
• Never or rarely leave the house for social or personal reasons;
• Never leave the house without their employer- their movement is controlled;
• Are given very little to eat or leftovers;
• Are insulted, threatened and/or actually abused as part of discipline;

EXPLOITATION THROUGH BEGGING AND/OR PETTY CRIMES

THE FOLLOWING ARE NON EXHAUSTIVE INDICATORS OF POTENTIAL EXPLOITATION THROUGH BEGGING AND/OR PETTY CRIMES:
• Illicit activities can include begging, pick-pocketing, theft, shoplifting, ATM crime etc.;
• Person who is begging or committing the illegal act “works” all day irrespective of weather conditions and other factors;
• Victim is moved from place to place without consent;
• Victim is closely watched and controlled;
• Victims are often children, elderly or disabled migrants who beg;
• Children of the same nationality or ethnicity who move in large groups with only a few adults;
• Are unaccompanied minors who are with a “relative” of the same nationality or ethnicity;
• Participate in the activities of organized criminal gangs;
• Are punished if they do not collect or steal enough;
• Often live with adults who are not their parents;

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