A STING operation was set up to catch organised gangs bringing workers illegally to commercial farms in Worcestershire in a bid to stop modern day slavery. 

Officers from South Worcestershire local policing area joined a multi-agency operation looking out for organised gangs bringing workers from Birmingham to commercial farms in the Vale of Evesham.

The joint op involved officers from our Operational Policing Unit (OPU), Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs), Neighbourhood Crime Fighting Team (NCFT) and Problem-Solving Hub (PSH).

They were supporting lead partners from the government’s Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) as well as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) at The Nightingale Pub on Evesham Road, Spetchley, Worcester last Thursday (June 13).

CHECKS: West Mercia Police officers were involved in checks on vehicles at the Nightingale pub in Spetchley CHECKS: West Mercia Police officers were involved in checks on vehicles at the Nightingale pub in Spetchley (Image: West Mercia Police)

 

Two coaches, minibuses, people carriers, and vehicles who transport workers to various local factories and fields within the Vale of Evesham were stopped at the location.

Officers were looking for vehicles in a poor state of repair, identifying any driving licence offences, and identifying any workers who may be subject to labour exploitation and/or modern slavery.

The morning was a success with two vehicles seized, one disqualified driver caught, one knife seized, and several traffic offence reports (TORs) issued.

The DVSA served restriction notices issued for non-roadworthy tyres and though no immigration or modern-day slavery offences were identified, police were able to gather intelligence with a number of those travelling upon the vehicles stopped as part of this ongoing investigation.

Police Sergeant Alice Jeffrey, of the Problem-Solving Hub in South Worcestershire LPA, said: “We teamed up with partner agencies on Thursday as part of our ongoing investigation into commercial farm gangs and their links to organised crime.

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“The operation was a success as several vehicles were stopped with various defects which have now been dealt with and a disqualified driver reported, all helping to keep those on the transports safe as well as the wider road-using public; and one knife seized.

“No immigration or modern-day slavery offences were identified on the day however we will continue to regularly monitor and investigate these gangs to make sure this remains the case.”

This investigation forms part of Operation Target – West Mercia Police’s work to tackle serious and organised crime.