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25/03/2004
40 arrested in swoops on immigrant gangmasters
Forty people have been arrested throughout the country as part of an operation to crack down on the exploitation of illegal immigrants in the UK.
Officers from 'Operation Absent', a multi-agency investigation, swung into action in the early hours of this morning and arrests were made by officers from Norfolk, Grampian, the Metropolitan Police, Cambridgeshire, Essex and the Immigration Service.
In the biggest swoop, 31 workers were arrested in the Aberdeen area and are currently being interviewed by the Immigration Service. Four men, alleged to be 'lieutenants' in a people trafficking organisation, were also arrested.
Among those arrested were six people who are being held on suspicion of facilitating the entry of illegal immigrants into the UK, and also on suspicion of money laundering.
Other arrests included a Ukrainian man in his early 40s from the King's Lynn area whom police suspect is one of the biggest illegal gangmasters in the country. Another man, also believed to be Ukrainian, from King's Lynn was also arrested.
Detective Inspector Paul Cunningham form the Norfolk Constabulary, who is leading the Economic Crime Unit investigation, said: "This is one of the biggest operations of this kind in the Eastern region. Our aim was to stop immigrants, some legal, some illegal, from being abused.
"These people are modern day slaves, working 15-hour days, living in overcrowded, unsuitable conditions and paid a pittance for their trouble whilst their gang masters live in luxury and launder the profits."
(gmcg)
Officers from 'Operation Absent', a multi-agency investigation, swung into action in the early hours of this morning and arrests were made by officers from Norfolk, Grampian, the Metropolitan Police, Cambridgeshire, Essex and the Immigration Service.
In the biggest swoop, 31 workers were arrested in the Aberdeen area and are currently being interviewed by the Immigration Service. Four men, alleged to be 'lieutenants' in a people trafficking organisation, were also arrested.
Among those arrested were six people who are being held on suspicion of facilitating the entry of illegal immigrants into the UK, and also on suspicion of money laundering.
Other arrests included a Ukrainian man in his early 40s from the King's Lynn area whom police suspect is one of the biggest illegal gangmasters in the country. Another man, also believed to be Ukrainian, from King's Lynn was also arrested.
Detective Inspector Paul Cunningham form the Norfolk Constabulary, who is leading the Economic Crime Unit investigation, said: "This is one of the biggest operations of this kind in the Eastern region. Our aim was to stop immigrants, some legal, some illegal, from being abused.
"These people are modern day slaves, working 15-hour days, living in overcrowded, unsuitable conditions and paid a pittance for their trouble whilst their gang masters live in luxury and launder the profits."
(gmcg)
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There are around 430,000 illegal immigrants living in the UK, the Home Office has reported, although the number could be as high as 570,000. According to the report, the Home Office estimated that the number of illegal immigrants living in Britain was somewhere between 310,000 and 570,000. The central estimate of 430,000 is the equivalent of 0.
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