Five arrests over trafficking of vulnerable people from Brazil into North of England

They were arrested following an investigation by Cleveland Police and British Transport Police at a number of properties in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough.

Four men, aged 40, 39, 29, and 25, and a 41-year-old woman were all arrested on suspicion of forced labour and human trafficking offences. They have since been bailed.

The arrests follow a year-long operation into trafficking of vulnerable people from Brazil into Yorkshire and the Humber.

Detective Sergeant John Bentley, from Cleveland Police’s complex exploitation team, said: “This is an extremely complex and sensitive investigation which has seen months of hard work by investigating officer DC Clyburn and the wider team.

“These arrests show our commitment to investigating reports of human trafficking, tackling those believed to be exploiting vulnerable people and protecting our communities from harm.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in this multi-agency operation for their efforts. As always, I’d encourage anyone with information please contact us on 101 or you can report non-emergencies via our website.”