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More than 200 potential modern slaves found working at Cornwall flower farm

Three men arrested in dawn raid as workers offered specialist support

Home Affairs Correspondent

Thursday 08 February 2018 19:40 GMT

The mainly Eastern European men and women were employed to pick daffodils

More than 200 potential modern slaves have been found working at a flower farm in Cornwall.

Police raided the property in the picturesque village of Manaccan and discovered mostly male migrants from Eastern Europe living in caravans on the site.

Two men aged 41 and 61 have been arrested on suspicion of modern slavery offences, while a third suspect was arrested on suspicion of being an unlicensed gangmaster.

They have been taken into custody as the workers undergo welfare checks by Cornwall Council, The Salvation Army and Red Cross at a specially-created reception centre.

“Those affected by this alleged crime are mostly male migrants thought to be from Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria,” a spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said

Fourteen men, women and children aged between 17 and 40 have so far elected to receive support through the national referral mechanism.

The early-morning raid was supported by the Gang Masters and Labour Abuse Authority, HMRC, interpreters and specialists.

Bosahan Farm, near Manaccan in Cornwall, was targeted by police in a raid over suspected modern slavery offences (Google) (Google Streetview)

Bosahan Farm is run by a local company that specialises in bulbs, with hundreds of migrant workers understood to arrive every year for the local flower season.

The family firm is famed for its daffodils, which have been featured in the local press and at a church festival.

Kathryn Taylor, from The Salvation Army’s modern slavery unit, said anyone identified as a potential victim from Thursday’s operation would be supported.

“It is vital that all victims of modern slavery are given the opportunity to reflect on their experience in a safe and supportive environment, and to gain access to the assistance they so desperately need and deserve,” she added.

“Once they have been identified as potential victims The Salvation Army works with survivors of this heinous crime as they begin the long journey to rebuild their lives and their trust in humanity.”

Support includes counselling, interpreters, legal and immigration advice, healthcare, financial assistance and safe accommodation to help people escape the “horrendous trade in human lives”.

Flower-picking is among the seasonal trades known to be at risk of modern slavery in the UK, with other labour, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation also at risk.

Modern Slavery in the UK

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1/13Modern Slavery in the UK

Modern Slavery in the UK

NCA has launched a touring photographic exhibition which aims to portray the signs of slavery and exploitation. Entitled ‘Invisible People’, the exhibition will tour the country as part of the National Crime Agency’s campaign to raise awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking.

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Child trafficking

Child trafficking for sexual exploitation Traffickers use grooming techniques to gain the trust of a child, family or community. The children are recruited, transported and then sold for sex, often returning to their homes immediately afterwards, only to be picked up by the same people again. This is happening here in the UK, to migrant and British-born children. Spot the signs of child trafficking: Often, children won’t be sure which country, city or town they’re in. They may be orphaned or living apart from their family, in unregulated private foster care, or in substandard accommodation. They may possess unaccounted-for money or goods or repeatedly have new, unexplained injuries.

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Agriculture

Some workers in the farming sector, harvesting grains or root vegetables, tending livestock or fruit picking, are being exploited every day in the UK. Victims of this crime in the agricultural sector are often Eastern European men and women, who were promised a job by traffickers, or they could be individuals on the fringes of society, homeless or destitute. Through threats, violence, coercion or forced drug and alcohol dependency, they’re enslaved, working for little or no money, living in squalid conditions having had their identity documents taken from them. Spot the signs of exploitative labour in agriculture: Agricultural slaves often have their wages paid into the same bank account, meaning an illegal gangmaster is likely collecting all their wages. Exploited agriculture workers often don’t have suitable protective equipment, working instead in cheap sports clothing and trainers, and don’t have a different change of clothes from day-to-day.

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Food processing

Polish or Slovakian men are brought to the UK with the offer of employment and, after arrival, gangmasters seize documents, opening multiple bank and utility accounts in their names – but refuse to handover access to the accounts or bank cards. Hours are long and the work is gruelling and dangerous. Workers are abused and are controlled by threats of harm to their families at home. Spot the signs: Those exploited wear inappropriate clothes and often no safety gear – despite working with dangerous and life-threatening equipment. They may often have untreated injuries and be refused medical attention, and will live and work in agricultural outhouses.

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Construction

Labour-intensive sectors like construction, where temporary and irregular work are common, are high-risk sectors for forced labour. With new homes, offices and buildings being constructed or upgraded in great quantity, labour exploitation is the second most common type of modern slavery, after sexual exploitation. Spot the signs of exploitative labour in construction: Exploited workers are often not provided with protective clothing or equipment, and may show signs of abuse or carry old untreated injuries. Slave workers are also likely to work extremely long work hours for six or seven days a week without any leave. Photographer Rory Carnegie, said: “I wanted this image to communicate that despite being forced to live, eat, wash and sleep – where they’re working, in cramped and unhygienic conditions, that there is a human instinct to domesticate. I wanted to show how there is still hope and dignity in the most squalid and difficult of circumstances.”

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Maritime

In the tough maritime industry young men, often Filipino or Indian, Eastern European or African, are promised a better life, but instead find themselves in a cycle of debt and exploitation. Unable to read, they are offered a job, given papers to sign and begin working on a trial-basis, only to be told they have failed and owe money, and have to work more to settle the debt. They may be forced to work for long hours in intense, hazardous and difficult conditions. Photographer Rory Carnegie, said: “In the 80s, Chris Killip published a series of images called In Flagrante, and these images were at the forefront of my mind while composing this shot. I wanted to show the utter desperation of these men - how passed their limit they are. The broken floats and the entire decaying environment around him, I saw as a metaphor for his existence.”

Rory Carnegie/National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Forced prostitution

Each year, women from across Eastern Europe and West Africa are lured to the UK by the dream of a better life. Whether by fake migration services or unscrupulous individuals who befriend and then betray them, women fall into a dark spiral of sexual exploitation and forced, unpaid prostitution, unable to escape. Photographer Rory Carnegie, said: “What I really wanted for this image, was to depict how women are used as commodities, the complete control slavery has over them – the helplessness of having to sit and wait for man after man, until no more men arrive. I wanted the image to show how lonely and eventually numbing that experience is, and for that ugliness to be contrasted against the bright blue of the wig – a fancy dress item that we would usually associate with a fun event – but here is used as a disguise, perhaps of her own identity to herself - to further emphasise how unjust the situation is.”

NCA

Modern Slavery in the UK

Cannabis farming

The cannabis industry hides a dark secret in the house next door. Gangs bring young boys to the UK from countries like Vietnam and deliver them to a house where, once in, they won’t be able to leave. Forced to tend cannabis plants that fill specially rigged houses, the boys are often locked in and forced to work, sleep and eat in one confined and dirty room. The chemicals used on the cannabis are poisonous, and often victims don’t know where they are or how to get help if they do escape. The eyes, ears and compassion of the local community are essential. Spot the signs: Aside from the strong and prolonged smell of cannabis, have you noticed a house that looks unusual? Are the windows covered or usual entry points blocked? Buildings might be over-heated – in very cold weather is the roof without frost, because the house is being kept warm to grow plants

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Agriculture

Some workers in the farming sector, harvesting grains or root vegetables, tending livestock or fruit picking, are being exploited every day in the UK. Victims of this crime in the agricultural sector are often Eastern European men and women, who were promised a job by traffickers, or they could be individuals on the fringes of society, homeless or destitute. Through threats, violence, coercion or forced drug and alcohol dependency, they’re enslaved, working for little or no money, living in squalid conditions having had their identity documents taken from them. Spot the signs of exploitative labour in agriculture: Agricultural slaves often have their wages paid into the same bank account, meaning an illegal gangmaster is likely collecting all their wages. Exploited agriculture workers often don’t have suitable protective equipment, working instead in cheap sports clothing and trainers, and don’t have a different change of clothes from day-to-day

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Forced prostitution

Spot the signs of forced prostitution: Victims of this type of crime might appear withdrawn or scared, avoid eye contact, and be untrusting. Poor English language skills could indicate exploitation because it suggests someone else must be arranging the work. A brothel is likely to be an average house on a normal looking street, but may have curtains which are usually closed and many different men coming and going frequently.

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Maritime

Spot the signs of exploitative labour in the maritime sector: Victims might appear withdrawn or frightened, often unable to answer questions directed at them or speak for themselves,. They might be afraid of authorities like police, immigration or the tax office, and may perceive themselves to be in debt to someone else. They may not have been given proper protective equipment so can suffer illness or injury. Photographer Rory Carnegie, said: “Throughout the series of images, I wanted to juxtapose the harshness of the lives of slaves against bright primary colours – colours we traditionally associate with happiness or a feeling of wellbeing – to provoke a reaction. The image, as rich as it is, communicates how completely uncomfortable this person is. I wanted to show how his body is not his own, and how he has no right to avoid hardship, avoid the ice, or wear better shoes, he is utterly controlled.”

Rory Carnegie/National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

Food processing

Photographer Rory Carnegie, said: “This image communicates utter exhaustion and dejection. We can see how dire his situation is. He has no protective gear on, and we can see the extreme tiredness that leads him to a place of anxiety and distraction, where he doesn’t care about whether he’s operating machinery safely, or putting himself at risk.”

National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery in the UK

The exhibition comprises a series of large, freestanding cubes displaying images capturing snapshots of life within different types of modern slavery - in agriculture, construction, maritime, cannabis farming and food processing, child trafficking for sexual exploitation and forced prostitution. Each image comes with written commentary describing what the viewer is seeing, and information about signs which may indicate someone is a victim.

National Crime Agency

The number of victims identified by authorities rose 300 per cent in the past year to pass 1,500 in England and Wales.

Police have warned of a spike in Vietnamese victims being found working in nail bars and cannabis factories, and three members of one gang were jailed in a landmark case last month.

A separate case over the alleged trafficking of Hungarian men into Britain is underway in London.

Laszlo Egeresi, 37, and Gabor Olah, 25, are accused of holding three of their fellow countrymen in debt bondage.

They allegedly forced them to survive on as little as £5 per week and pocketing the wages they earned doing low-paid work in kitchens and hotels, while using the men’s identifies to take out crippling payday loans they could not repay.

When the alleged victims tried to hold on to their pay or to escape, they were threatened with violence or physically assaulted until they returned to work, Kingston Crown Court heard on Thursday.

Egeresi denies four counts of arranging or facilitating travel of another with view to their exploitation between March 2015 and June 2017, while Olah denies two counts of the same charge.

Anyone wanting more information on modern slavery or with suspicion a crime is taking place is urged to call the dedicated national helpline on 0800 0121 700, or police on 101.

Additional reporting by PA