POLICE in West Yorkshire are taking part in a national campaign aimed at ending human slavery.
A special operation, codenamed Pentameter 2, was launched this week to target people and groups involved in human trafficking in all its forms.
A specialist team was set up in West Yorkshire nearly four years ago to deal with trafficking crime across the region.
The squad’s boss, Det Chief Insp Paul Fountain, said:“Human trafficking is modern day slavery. Victims’ human rights are often violated and they are subjected to abhorrent conditions.’’
“Pentameter 2 aims to rescue and protect victims of trafficking and to identify, disrupt, arrest and bring to justice those involved in criminal human trafficking.
“Work will also be done to further understand the nature and extent of all forms of trafficking as well as the involvement of organised crime groups.
“We will also look to attack the assets of such groups.’’
Anyone with information about human trafficking should phone police on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Meanwhile Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said some of the women rescued from sex slavery will still face the risk of deportation.
She said the Government could not give a guarantee that none of the illegally smuggled victims would be removed, but renewed a pledge to give them a reflection period of 30 days.
