100 police involved in slavery arrests at Greenacre caravan site, Update: Little Billington
(LU7 - Sunday, 11 September, 2011)

Detectives today continue to question four of the five people in custody who were arrested under the Slavery and Servitude Act in Leighton Buzzard.

The woman arrested is pregnant and has been released on police bail and will be questioned further following the birth of her child which is imminent.

Enquiries to locate two further suspects are underway.

Of the 24 vulnerable people who were taken from the Greenacre Caravan Site in Great Billington by police yesterday, nine have left the medical reception centre and have chosen not to support the police investigation.

At the moment the remaining 15 continue to be assessed for medical and welfare needs and interviews with detectives will commence today.

It will take a number of days to establish exactly what has happened to them while living on the site.

The victims that remain and are assisting the investigation include eight British men, three Polish men, a Latvian man and Lithuanian man and two further men whose nationalities are unconfirmed at this time.

The oldest man is 57 (British) and the youngest is 30 (British).

The others range between these ages.

The men who chose to leave were British and two were Romanian.

The youngest person found on site was a 17-year-old British man who has left the care of police and re-joined his family.

Operation Netwing is being led by Bedfordshire Police, supported by the local and health authorities and other agencies as well as the Human Trafficking Centre at SOCA.

DCI Sean O'Neil, from the Beds and Herts Major Crime Unit, investigating said:

"Those people who we continue to help are appreciative of the support that is on offer, but it will take some time to work through with them what has happened.

"The new legislation has allowed the investigation more scope and takes into account emotional rather than physical harm.

"I am confident that while the investigation is in its early stages this is a family run ‘business' and is an organised crime group that has been broken up by the Netwing operation."

Around 100 police officers were today involved in a series of arrests at the Greenacre caravan site in Leighton Buzzard.

The Beds and Herts Major Crime Unit joined forces with other specialist units including dog section, helicopter and firearms support unit, to execute search warrants at 5.30am this morning (Sunday 11 September).

Four residents of the site, three men and one woman were arrested using new legislation under the Slavery and Servitude Act 2010 and are being currently held at police stations across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

The Major Crime Unit has been responsible for the bringing the long-running investigation to its arrest phase which has centred around intelligence suggesting that a number of people were being held against their will in poor conditions at the site and forced to work for no pay.

Twenty-four men were taken from the site, all believed to be victims of slavery.

They are mostly from English and eastern European backgrounds and range in age.

The victims were taken initially this morning to an undisclosed medical reception centre where a multi-agency approach was taken to providing medial, health and social welfare care.

The local authority is now co-ordinating their social and medical needs, while police liaison officers will keep in close touch with them.

Det Chief Insp Sean O'Neil, from the Beds and Herts Major Crime Unit, said:

"The men we found at the site were in a poor state of physical health and the conditions they were living in were shockingly filthy and cramped.

"We believe that some of them had been living and working there in a state of virtual slavery, some for just a few weeks and other for up to 15 years.

"Because of the number of victims and suspects and the size of the site, we needed the assistance of many officers from specialist units today.

"We are aware the operation has caused a lot of disruption to the other residents of the site and we thank them for their co-operation and understanding.

"A small number of officers are remaining at the site to complete searches and to liaise with the residents.

"The offences that are being investigated are extremely serious.

"We understand that some people may have information about what has been happening, but have been too scared to come forward and report it."

Anyone with information to contact police on 01707 355798.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

NOTE: during the operation Bedfordshire Police were assisted by officers from the UK Human Trafficking Centre.

Police Force: Bedfordshire

Address:
Greenacres
Gypsy Lane
Little Billington
Leighton Buzzard
BEDFORDSHIRE
LU7