The battle against people traffickers came to Fife on Monday as police swooped on several businesses.
Officers targeted large-scale employers of migrant workers as part of a national day of action to identify those trapped at the heart of the huge criminal enterprise.
Food processing plants, car washes and beauty salons were all visited by police and border control officials to identify people potentially being forced to work against their will, with Detective Inspector Stuart Morris saying that the workplace was one of the few locations where those being moved illegally could be identified.
“These people are moved away from their own country with threats of violence,” he said.
“There may be a promise of a new job or a new life and then they turn up here and are forced into labour or the sex industry.
“Here their life can be varied, but some people who are trafficked may not know they are being trafficked because their life here is unfortunately better than it is back home.
“However, others are kept in terrible conditions where they may not have access to their bank accounts, they might not be allowed to leave premises, they can’t talk for themselves and are forced into doing various things they just don’t want to do.”
Criminal gangs are at the heart of human trafficking, capitalising on the desperation of those living in poorer parts of the world, predominantly Eastern Europe or South-East Asia, to bring them to Britain under false pretences.
Promising good employment opportunities and a better quality of life, many are brought to the UK and effectively held captive, being forced to work in low-paid jobs or the sex industry.
Workers’ documentation, such as passports and bank accounts, are often seized, while their movements can also be restricted.
Mr Morris said that it was not uncommon for trafficked people to have no idea where they actually are, and said that there were few telltale signs for the public to be aware of.
“You can walk past them in the street,” he said.
“They can be held in plain sight.
“That is what these days of action are for.
“It’s about raising awareness and making people aware that there may be people trafficking in Fife.
“These days allow us to look for labour exploitation and sexual exploitation so we can see if we do have an issue.”
