Colindale: Six modern slavery victims rescued in joint operation

The Met executed three warrants in Colindale on Friday morning

Six female victims of modern slavery were rescued in north London on Friday morning following a Met Police partnership with Europol, Eurojust and Romanian police, the force said.

The Met's modern slavery unit executed three warrants in Colindale, Barnet, during the early hours.

A 24-year-old man was arrested for being wanted on a UK court warrant.

Det Insp Melanie Lillywhite said the action "has significantly disrupted this organised criminal network".

At the same time on Friday, five people were detained for questioning over human-trafficking offences after 12 warrants were executed in Iasi, north-eastern Romania, by the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism.

Firearms, cash, high-value watches and vehicles were seized in Romania.

'Loverboy tactic'

The organised crime network is believed to have been recruiting women in Romania using the "loverboy" tactic, a spokesperson for the Met said.

It involves men acting as a boyfriend to potential victims before trafficking them to London. The women are then forced into prostitution and controlled by the traffickers.

The six modern-slavery victims rescued are being supported by specialist officers and the charity Justice and Care.

Det Insp Melanie Lillywhite, from the Met's Central Specialist Crime's Modern Slavery Unit, said: "Members of this organised criminal network are suspected of recruiting and grooming women in Romania before trafficking them to the UK, where they are forced into prostitution.

"Unfortunately, this type of exploitation is still happening across London and the UK."

She said that the Met's team works "around the clock to identify people involved in human trafficking and forced labour".

"Victims are often told the police and authorities in the UK are not to be trusted and with limited English are unable to seek help, even if they want to," she added.

"We believe there are victims of modern slavery in every borough across London and the public may encounter them every day, possibly without realising."

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