How you may have played a part in supporting slavery and funding criminal gangs

You don’t believe me? I don’t blame you.

Modern slavery is abhorrent; it is described by the Prime Minister as ‘the greatest human rights issue of our time.’

Right now, there are thousands of people being forced to work for little or no pay, often in appalling conditions and with the threat of violence hanging over them if they step out of line.

Much of it is controlled by organised crime gangs who have links to drug smuggling, guns and violence. They know full well the enormous profits that can be made from using people as a commodity. And the added ‘bonus’ was, until recently, the risks for them were much lower.

Imagine the police response to a van being stopped on the motorway and found to contain drugs or firearms. Those involved would undoubtedly face long prison sentences.

Now, picture the same van being stopped, only this time the driver is simply carrying half a dozen people. The chances of being arrested are much less unless there are firm suspicions that something is amiss. That’s precisely why organised crime gangs have moved into human trafficking, modern slavery and labour exploitation; it’s lucrative and the risks are low.

Thankfully, that’s beginning to change. The criminal justice system is rising to the challenge of the threat posed by modern slavery and is fighting back.

It is estimated that there are between 10,000-13,000 slaves in the UK.

I’m assuming you find the very idea of slavery in 21st century Britain repugnant. All right-minded people do. Yet, here’s the rub … I’ve no doubt you are appalled at the very thought of it and you would never dream of doing anything that supports slavery or funds organised crime.

The problem is there’s a high chance you have done both of those things; maybe even today.

And what’s worse, there’s a strong likelihood you are going to do it again.

Have you had your car washed recently? Maybe you drove into one of those hand car washing businesses that seem to crop up on old petrol forecourts in our towns and cities and paid a fiver for someone to clean it.

There may be as many as 20,000 hand car wash sites in the UK, many of whom fail to meet any of the basic requirements under UK law. Many of these sites are suspected of being used to exploit their workers and probably worse. A significant number employ newly arrived workers, in some cases taking advantage of vulnerable people.

And a number may be linked to organised crime gangs from overseas and are involved in money laundering.

Maybe you regularly go and get your nails done at any one of the hundreds of salons that have popped up in recent years?

The number of nail bars has soared with an estimated 55,000 businesses in the UK. Almost half of these shops employ 100,000 Vietnamese workers. Many are believed to be exploited for their labour. Some girls may also be subjected to sexual exploitation while men are forced to get involved in criminal acts such as organised begging or shoplifting.

Sadly, modern slavery is closer than we think.

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) was formed in the aftermath of the Morecambe Bay cockle pickers’ tragedy in which 23 Chinese workers drowned. Our remit has been to protect vulnerable workers by regulating companies or individuals who act as ‘gangmasters’ – an archaic term referring to anyone providing temporary workers for roles within agriculture and the food sector.

From spring this year we will become the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). We will have specialist officers with police-style powers of arrest to investigate forced labour and human trafficking. But we will also look into other labour market offences for the first time – such as failure to pay National Minimum Wage (NMW) and breaches of the Employment Agency Act.

I’m confident the GLAA will have a major impact on disrupting and dismantling modern slavery networks, but we can’t eradicate it through enforcement alone. We have to raise awareness with employers and the public. You need to be aware that by having your car washed on a street corner, your nails done, or turning a blind eye and not asking questions about how a product or service is being supplied, means you could be actively supporting slavery and organised crime.

The exploitation of labour has to become socially unacceptable. We need your help to tackle it by refusing to fund it and to tell us, in confidence, where you suspect it is happening.

So, am I right? Do you now admit to supporting modern slavery and funding organised crime? If so, stop and think and learn more about the GLAA by visiting our website www.gla.gov.uk or call us free and confidentially on 0800 432 0804.

Paul Broadbent is chief executive of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.