Seventeen arrested in human trafficking raids in London

Seventeen people have been arrested in early morning raids across east London in an international human trafficking investigation.

Officers went to 16 addresses after working with Romanian police, who simultaneously raided four addresses in Romania and arrested one man.

In London, police took 29 potential victims – women aged between 20 and 40 – to a “place of safety”.

The suspects – 14 men and three women – remain in custody in central London.

The 17 arrested people, who are aged between 17 and 50, are being held on suspicion of modern slavery, controlling prostitution, Class A drug offences and firearm offences.

‘One fell swoop’

Det Ch Insp Richard McDonagh, from the Metropolitan Police, said: “The Met recognises the seriousness of modern slavery and the devastation it brings to people’s lives.

“Today’s synchronised operational activity [had] the aim of, in one fell swoop, dismantling an organised crime network and providing support to the victims.”

The London raids were carried out in Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Newham, Brentwood and Tower Hamlets.

A spokesman for Romanian police in the UK said: “Romanian police officers working shoulder to shoulder with our British partners is a great achievement, a proof of our mutual permanent support and a great professional reward.

“The Romanian police is committed to continue its efforts in combating all forms of criminality together with the Metropolitan Police.”