A
trafficking gang which forced women into prostitution has been smashed by
police a series of dawn raids in Scotland’s biggest city. Dozens of officers
from Police Scotland, Immigration Enforcement and the new specialist divisional
Human Trafficking Unit – which was only formed five weeks ago – targeted seven
flats in Glasgow yesterday morning. Three people – two men and a woman – were
arrested and three victims were identified as a result of the months-long probe
into the group’s activities.
UPDATE:
Three people appeared in court on charges relating to human trafficking yesterday after a dawn raid witnessed by the Record.
Two men and a woman were arrested when dozens of officers from Police Scotland, Home Office Immigration Enforcement and the new specialist divisional Human Trafficking Unit targeted seven flats in Glasgow on Thursday morning.
Jian Guang Yang, 60, Donling Zhang, 46, and Vlassis Ntaoulias, 30, appeared in private at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday.
The Record was invited along by Police Scotland as about 60 officers carried out a series of raids.
The accused – who made no plea – were committed for further examination and remanded in custody. UPDATE- END.
Approximately £40,000 in cash was from a property in, while a
cannabis factory with a street value of £50,000, and unconnected to the
trafficking inquiry, was found by officers.
The Daily
Record was invited along by police to witness the drama unfold.
More than 60 police and
immigration enforcement officers crammed into a meeting room at Govan police
station for a briefing on the operation.
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/potential-human-trafficking-victims-found-17672615
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/potential-human-trafficking-victims-found-17672615
The Detective Inspector – in
charge of the Human Trafficking Unit at the station – told the assembled
officers they would be targeting potential traffickers and identifying victims
in a bid to disrupt their business.Divided into six teams,
the officers were given intelligence briefings on each address they would be
hitting.
Despite the information
police already had, officers were warned to “the unknown” at each address and
to be mindful there could be potential victims within.
Divided into cars and
vans, each vehicle left the station at the same time to ensure all the
addresses were hit simultaneously – a tactic designed to stop suspects warning
other members of the gang.
We watched as officers
from the public protection unit smashed down the door of a run-down flat in
Springburn shortly after.
We could hear the panicked
voice of a woman as the door was knocked off its hinges by the force of the
hand-held battering ram
as cries of “police” echoed round the stairwell.
Four police officers
and two immigration officials entered the flat and carried out searches, hunting
for evidence.
Then a suspect, a
woman, was arrested and taken to the station. left carrying a brown bag of
evidence from the flat while neighbours were reassured by officers.
DI McLennan said: “The unit was only set up
in recent weeks, but this investigation has been ongoing for a few months.
“This is our first big
operation and identifying, disrupting and eliminating human trafficking
will continue to be one
of our biggest priorities.
“Many women, believing
they are coming to Scotland for a better life, are forced into prostitution or
put to work on cannabis farms for little or no money.
“The operation has been
the result of a number of weeks of investigations and successfully identified
possible victims who we will work with together with other agencies to ensure
they receive the correct care and attention they need.”
He said the men and women are usually
smuggled into the country via lorries, ferries and buses and often in
horrendous conditions.
DI McLennan added:
“These women are seen as easy prey.
“They want to come here
for a better life and to support their families back home and instead they are
exploited and abused.
“We will continue to do
all we can to disrupt the network.”
Detective Superintendent Donna Duffy, of Greater Glasgow
Division, added: “The operation is the
culmination of a number
of weeks of investigations and acting upon intelligence which we have received.
“This has resulted in
the action being taken today and subsequent arrests.
“Our divisional Human
Trafficking Unit has only been set up since the start of the year and this
operation has brought together those officers, with assistance from our
colleagues in the national human trafficking taskforce. all forms of
trafficking and exploitation and protecting
people from harm
continues to be one of Police Scotland’s top priorities.
“Trafficking and
exploitation is challenging and complex to investigate.
“But we are determined
to improve the intelligence picture in order to gain a better understanding of
trafficking in Scotland
and the organised crime groups involved.”
Detective Superintendent, head of Police
Scotland’s National Human Trafficking Unit, said: “Human trafficking is an
insidious crime.
“Police Scotland will
pursue traffickers relentlessly and we will continue to work with our network
of contacts in the UK, with international law enforcement and other agencies to
rid our country of trafficking and all forms of exploitation.”
A police spokeswoman
said: “A 46-year-old woman has been charged with alleged human trafficking
offences and is due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court today.”
ALSO READ: https://crimenewsjournal.blogspot.com/
(YOUR HELPLINE LINKS): https://www.drugfreeworld.org/
& www.drugs.ie & www.drugscope.org.uk
& www.spunout.org
& www.childline.org.uk/
& www.youngminds.org.uk/
& https://www.cybersafeireland.org/about-us/
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