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Release (124/2008) issued by The Government News Network on 2 July 2008
The largest ever
police crackdown on human trafficking resulted in police
recovering 167 victims and arresting 528 criminals associated with
one of the worst crimes threatening our society.
Human trafficking victims are brought to the UK and sold as
commodities for the purposes of sexual exploitation, domestic
servitude or forced labour. In the fight to make the UK a hostile
environment for trafficking and protect victims and potential
victims from this abhorrent crime police carried out six months of
targeted operations.
Pentameter 2 is a coordinated campaign of activity aimed at
disrupting those who engage in trafficking for sexual exploitation
throughout the UK, involving all UK police forces, other law
enforcement agencies, the UK Human Trafficking Centre, and other
voluntary and statutory agencies. It was coordinated and led by a
national cell staffed by Gloucestershire Constabulary which worked
to the Gold Commander, Chief Constable Dr Tim Brain. A key feature
was the use of a national intelligence infrastructure, which
supported police operations. Intelligence reports were collated
and placed onto a specifically created database on the HOLMES 2
system. This supported regional intelligence units and local
forces, it highlighted organised crime links across the United
Kingdom and beyond.
Pentameter 2 results show:
* 167 victims identified;
* 528 criminals arrested;
* 822
premises visited;
* 6,400 police intelligence reports
gathered;
* more than £500,000 worth of cash has been
recovered from those criminals arrested and court orders are in
place to restrain further criminal assets running into several
millions of pounds; and
* of those recovered 13 of the victims
were children with the youngest aged just 14 years old.
Pentameter 2, launched on 3 October 2007, is the second operation
of its kind. Pentameter 1 launched in 2006 and rescued 88 victims,
led to 232 arrests and 134 perpetrators charged.
Police forces throughout the UK were focused on rescuing and
protecting victims trafficked to the UK for the purpose of sexual
exploitation and on bringing to justice the perpetrators.
Of the 822 premises that were visited, 157 were massage parlours
and saunas and 582 residential properties, evidencing the covert
nature of the crime. The majority of victims recovered originated
from China, South East Asia and Eastern Europe. During the
operation five victims (three of which were children) who had been
trafficked for forced labour were recovered.
Dr Tim Brain, Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Lead on
Pentameter 2 and Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary, said:
"At its core this operation was about striking a blow
against one of the most distressing aspects of serious and
organised crime in this country: that of people trafficking for
sexual exploitation.
"It was a large scale, coordinated operation, based in
Gloucestershire and I am very proud that my staff have
demonstrated excellence in delivering against the challenging task
of national coordination. The lessons learned form UKP2 are being
considered and it should not be underestimated how this operation
will influence developments within the Police Service.
"The figures show how successful we have has been in
achieving our goals. As a direct result of Pentameter 2 more than
160 vulnerable people have been saved from lives of abuse,
exploitation and misery.
"Perhaps even more importantly, Pentameter 2 has been
instrumental in seriously disrupting the organised crime networks
responsible for human trafficking. Organised criminals view
individual victims as merely another commodity, and their
trafficking as a lucrative and relatively low risk activity. By
arresting those involved in these offences and seizing their
assets, we reduce the ability of these criminal networks to
operate effectively.
"This is an example of how all forces and partners
throughout the British Isles have cooperated together against an
important aspect of serious and organised crime. Pentameter 1 and
Pentameter 2 remain unique examples of nationally coordinated operations."
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
"Human trafficking is
a despicable crime, perpetrated by organised criminal gangs whose
business is to make money from human misery.
"Pentameter 2 has been a great success. It is an excellent
example of partnership working and I would commend all those
involved who have made a real impact in rescuing victims and
bringing to justice those who exploit them.
"Human trafficking has no place in modern society and I am
absolutely determined that we continue to take tough action to
disrupt these criminal gangs. As a signal of this commitment the
Government signed the Council of Europe Convention on Human
Trafficking last year and will ratify it by the end of this year."
Nick Kinsella, Head of the UK Human Trafficking Centre said:
"Pentameter 2 has been a great success and now the results
need to be analysed in depth, to see what we have actually found.
This operation was one of many strands of activity that are taking
place in the UK or being led by UK law enforcement
internationally, to combat the trafficking of human beings.
"The results from Pentameter 2 highlight that great steps
have been taken to tackle the trafficking of human beings for the
purpose of sexual exploitation. We need to build on what we have
learnt and take this momentum forward. The UKHTC will continue to
coordinate for the service in this regard, and with its partners
will continue to take forward a diverse range of programmes to
ensure that the UK becomes a hostile environment for traffickers."
Members of the public should continue to be vigilant for the
signs of human trafficking and if anyone has information about
trafficking they should ring their local police force or
Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or in an emergency they should dial 999.
New measures to tackle trafficking and support victims are
published today in an update of the UK Human Trafficking Action
Plan, first published last year. In reviewing the strategy new
areas and opportunities were identified to combat trafficking and
lead to 23 new actions being added.
The Government is committed to putting victim care and protection
at the heart of it, and as a result new actions include granting
victims of trafficking an initial 45 day stay in the UK followed
in many cases by a further new one year temporary residency
permit. Both measures go further than the minimum standards
outlined in the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Pentameter 2 (UKP2) was launched on 3 October 2007. It was
initiated by the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) and developed
by Gloucestershire Constabulary. It involved the 55 police forces
throughout the UK.
2. UKP2 had the full support of the Government, led by the Home
Office, Ministry of Justice and the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, Department of Children, Schools and Families, along with
agencies such as the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, HM
Revenue and Customs and non government organisations including the
POPPY project.
3. Pentameter 2 was linked to activity that is taking place in a
number of EU countries, which is being led by the UK and Poland.
As with Pentameter 2 the aim of the operation is for the victims
to be treated sensitively and provided with a wide range of
support from both voluntary and statutory agencies.
4. ACPO is an independent, professionally led strategic body. In
the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with
Government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads
and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police
service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of
national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, coordinates
the strategic policing response.
5. ACPO's 341 members are police officers of Assistant Chief
Constable rank (Commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of
London Police) and above, and senior police staff managers, in the
44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and other forces
such as British Transport Police and States of Jersey Police.