Vietnamese pay thousands for '˜new life' in UK

It describes a two-tier pricing system, including a “premium” service costing up to £33,000 which promises as direct a route as possible to Britain with minimal risk.

Research suggests smugglers also offer “economy” options which range in price from £10,000 to £20,000.

Migrants choosing the cheaper service can face journeys of several months as they make their way across Europe.

Vietnamese nationals are said to be among the most likely victims of human trafficking in West Yorkshire, whose police force has a dedicated unit to tackle the trade in human misery.

The national findings are detailed in a report on the exploitation of Vietnamese nationals en route to and within the UK commissioned by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland. It describes irregular migration as “big business” and points to evidence that smuggling agents in Vietnam exaggerate the reliability of their services and the financial rewards attainable in Britain.

The paper cites an account given by one interviewee who paid 25,000 dollars (just under £19,000 at the current exchange rate) but found the journey and its outcomes were not as advertised.

She said: “I was told that I would live like a queen in the UK, good food, nice clothes, easy job with a high salary. I anticipated a good standard of living. I went on a plane, then a car and then a truck - but I did not know which countries they took me through.

“It took two months. There was no violence or exploitation on the way but the trip was very hard.It turned out to be more expensive than agreed and the job I was promised did not materialise.”

The report also suggests that smugglers are attempting to exploit arrangements for dealing with visa applications. It notes that applications from Vietnamese nationals are processed at the British Embassy in Bangkok.

“These decisions are taken under time pressure and it is thought that smuggling groups are aware of this and are using the premium visa services as they think that these applications will not be fully scrutinised,”

Figures show that between 2009 and last year, 1,747 Vietnamese nationals were referred to a UK service set up to identify possible victims.

The report emphasised that Vietnamese modern slavery is “not only an international issue but a domestic one too”, with UK-based exploitation evident in 55 cases.

In July, a man was charged with modern slavery offences as part of an investigation in York to locate two missing Vietnamese girls, who were later found safe. Police in North Yorkshire say men from Vietnam have been found growing cannabis in the county.