AIBU to think human trafficking only happens in foreign countries and not in this country?

This, I work with an ex-police officer, this is exactly what they say.

EEs were quite often mentioned in news as victims.

Great resources posted here already. Maybe just do a news google. Everyone thinks of car washes and nail salons but agriculture is massive issue as well.

I cannot believe though that someone would think UK has no modern slavery 😳

Interestingly your own link had a link to explain county lines "They are the victims of “county lines”, a drug distribution system in which criminal networks exploit thousands of children and vulnerable adults to funnel hard drugs from cities to towns and rural regions across the country, often using the public transport network to move* *their illicit wares."

Yes County lines might involve trafficking but county lines is drug dealing (which may also involve trafficking), It doesn't HAVE TO involve trafficking though to be County lines.

It might be local children, or other vulnerable children being used to move drugs over the county line. It does HAVE to be about drug movement from county to county to be referred to as county lines. There's the difference. I hope that helps

The boats and the back of lorries obviously.

Thank you - I know what county lines is. However, I was pointing out to the other poster that it involves human trafficking in its true sense and, as such, people are, rightfully, being prosecuted under modern day slavery legislation.

"1.2 Human trafficking occurs in county lines drug dealing as part of Modern Slavery, legal recognition was given following a landmark case in 2017 in which offenders were prosecuted under the Modern Slavery Act (2015) for involvement in county lines–related drug trafficking and exploitation (Stone, 2018)."

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/apr/17/three-convicted-of-trafficking-in-landmark-county-lines-case

Although you replied to someone else to disagree, they are correct.

County lines is drug dealing

https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/what-we-do/crime-threats/drug-trafficking/county-lines

It's exactly what it means and it's how people are now being prosecuted under modern slavery legislation. To say it's 'drug dealing' is minimising the seriousness of the crime.

There’s a drama on IPlayer called ‘Doing Money’. It’s about a girl who is snatched off the street by a gang and forced into sex work. It’s inspired by a true story and you can find interviews with the victim after she managed to escape.

It was eye opening and very raw, but it gives you a glimpse into how these gangs operate and coerce their victims.

@Acrazybimbo I know what youre saying with facial recognition etc, but unless the police are tipped off, theyre not looking for specific faces.

I do know having taken our kids on holiday when they were young they'd often be asked at border control here and overseas who their dad was and where's your mum (even though they both look like me, lol).

I saw a 50 something handling 2 young females in Glasgow like he owned them, almost groping at their breasts. I couldn't find a police officer and when I turned round they'd disappeared into the crowd. I often think of those girls, they looked really uncomfortable but we're just hopeless on our own 😭

This stuff is all around us.

Have you not heard of the massive trafficking ring in Rotherham then?

I attended a harrowing human trafficking awareness seminar, where the speaker told us that approximately 25% of victims reported to the National Referral Mechanism framework were British nationals. Of those, many are children lured in by professional gangs and then tricked into sexual exploitation, or into moving drugs around.

Huge problem in this country ... the scorpion podcast gives you an insight into what it looks like . Princess Eugenies podcast floodlight also covers this .

Not to sound rude but I'm always surprised at how naive people are around this . Technology has further escalated this issue and you have probably used the services of someone who has been trafficked but don't recognise because you don't want to or you can't see beyond your own way of living .

It's not always non-British people. And it's not always adults. Young girls can meet older men who they believe they have a relationship with and they can move them around the country. Schools have regular training in how to spot trafficked children.

www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/child-trafficking/

If you haven't already, please report it. You can report it on 101, or use Crimestoppers anonymously.

Report human trafficking - Citizens Advice

You may want to research the use of Slavery Trafficking Risk Orders and Prevention Orders which are used by law enforcement to prevent harm or to monitor people likely to be involved in such activities. The need for such orders to be set in legislation tells you something about its prevalence.

You're thinking of smuggling people without documents.

One of the common forms of people trafficking in countries like the UK starts with traffickers approaching naive people overseas with the promise of a legitimate job here. The traffickers tell the targets that they work for a lovely hotel that needs chambermaids and just can't get British staff, or maybe that they're working for a childcare agency that urgently needs young women to train as nannies. Then traffickers tell their targets that they'll arrange everything in exchange for an upfront payment now, and money from their wages later.

In one account I read, the traffickers had a woman's entire family convinced that there was a job as a nanny waiting for her. She came from a little village, and the traffickers organised her seat in economy on a normal flight. She was absolutely convinced she was lucky to have got the work opportunity of a lifetime, so she sailed through passport control because she didn't know she needed help. The traffickers met her at the airport and told her everything was being organised for her start that week. Then they said, could she please hand over her passport and ID as security against the cost of her night's lodging, before she paid them back from her wages next month?

You will be able to guess what happened next.

It is mad how these firms can set up and start trading with staff who do not have the Right to Work in the UK but they don't get checked until sufficiently reported, or never checked at all. CQC will allow companies to set up as long as they meet requirements but nobody checks the staff they have employed, and this is vulnerable personal care we're talking about.

This.

All over the country, even in sleepy little towns. Wake up its happening.

There are some warning signs. High turnover of staff. Staff wearing name badges that don’t seem appropriate or multiple staff wearing the same name badge. Set up having one person who speaks English and the other staff don’t speak to you at all.
There’s two hand car washes near me. One has had the same staff for years, they chat to customers. Another seems to have a fast turnover of staff. One time a guy cleaned my car. He smelt truly awful. I don’t mean like a bit whiffy. I mean like he didn’t have access to washing facilities and lived somewhere damp smell. He had a look in his eyes I can only describe as haunted. I haven’t been back there since.

My mum is. But to be fair to her she is in her 80's and is no longer out on the high street much. But yes it has been reported on reasonably frequently and is horrifying.

I heard one of Farage's lot talking about Turkish barbers and how they would investigate if elected. I mean there's got to be something going on. All of a sudden every UK highstreet has scores of the bloody things appearing out of nowhere.

Also if you use Deliveroo, eat fruit and veg, eat in restaurants or partake in recreational drugs. Human trafficking is the grim dark underbelly supporting a myriad of industries in this country. The reason why your manicure is an affordable weekly treat is because the young Vietnamese manicurists has almost certainly been trafficked not that our politicians care because it’s what businesses demand. Cheap biddable labour which can be easily exploited.

So are there any legitimate nail salons, car washes ? How can we tell ? And if it us common knowledge why aren't they investigated.

I often wonder about local Chinese restaurant that have a lot of staff but they akways seem pleasant and sociable.