Five arrested in anti-slavery massage parlour sting

Seven women are being supported after raids on massage parlours on Thursday

An investigation into two massage parlours has led to searches across five counties and a string of arrests in an anti-slavery and human trafficking operation.

Wiltshire Police received reports beauty parlours in Chippenham were allegedly offering sexual services, and a subsequent investigation sparked raids in Gloucestershire, Suffolk, Cambridge and Reading on Thursday morning.

Five people have now been arrested on suspicion of modern slavery and human trafficking offences, while seven women believed to have been victims of trafficking are being supported by officers.

The operation was led by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) with the help of police forces in each area.

Det Ch Insp Adam Smith from SWROCU said: "This investigation started due to public concerns raised to Wiltshire Police about two premises in Chippenham."

"Community intelligence is so important - officers searching the premises today have had so much positive feedback that action's been taken - so our plea is to keep such information coming," he said.

A man in his 30s and a man and a woman in their 50s were arrested at an address in Bristol on Wednesday evening on suspicion of human trafficking, conspiracy to control prostitution for gain and money laundering.

A woman in her 60s, from Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, was arrested on Thursday morning on suspicion of the same offences, while a man in his 60s, from Bury St Edmunds, was detained on suspicion of human trafficking.

All of the suspects are currently in custody.

Sgt Jamie Bell, of Wiltshire Police, who conducted the searches in Chippenham, said: "I'd like to thank the local community for the information they have provided us up until now.

"Although the investigation is still in the early stages, I know that a number of vulnerable women will now be safeguarded as a direct result of the information they provided and the investigative work we carried out."