Operation Tackles Human Trafficking

Gloucestershire Constabulary is leading a nationwide campaign against human trafficking.

Operation Pentameter 2 (UKP2) aims to tackle trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, and gain more knowledge on the extent of all forms of trafficking throughout the UK. It follows Pentameter 1, held in 2006.

UKP2's Gold Commander, Gloucestershire's Chief Constable and national ACPO spokesman on prostitution, Dr Timothy Brain, said this campaign had the potential to give a far greater insight into modern day slavery. "Pentameter 2 aims to ensure the United Kingdom becomes hostile territory for those criminals who engage in 21st century slavery," he explained.

"This will be a truly multi agency initiative which also has the full support of the Government, and our work will help deliver some of the aims the Home Office outlines in its Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking, which was published in March this year.

"This is also not purely a UK campaign. We are working alongside a G6 project on human trafficking being led by the UK and Poland."

The main aims of Pentameter 2 include identifying and disrupting those involved in human trafficking, rescuing victims, improving the knowledge and understanding of trafficking and raising awareness of this form of criminality.

The Pentameter 1 campaign was highly successful in giving a better insight into the nature of trafficking in this country, but since then a number of developments have been made which will prove useful during the UKP2 campaign.

Dr Brain continued, "In order to further improve and co-ordinate the law enforcement response to human trafficking, the UK Human Trafficking Centre was established exactly one year ago today.

"The centre provides a central point for the development of expertise and operational coordination in relation to the trafficking of human beings and those skills will be fully utilized during Pentameter 2.

"It is particularly apt that we are now launching a fresh campaign to combat trafficking in this the 200th year since Parliament passed the Act to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire.
"It is clear that slavery still exists. We still have individuals being brought into this country and being moved across borders within the UK against their will, and being forced into servitude.

"Pentameter 2 aims to discover the extent of the issue and put in place whatever means available to prevent anyone else falling victim to this evil trade, and rescue those who are being held in such situations."

A National Coordination Group, which is being led by Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Berry, has been established in Gloucestershire.

That group has led on planning for UKP2 since early 2007, and has carried out national briefings to more than 500 individuals in other police forces and law enforcement agencies.

The group has also produced a range of plans and policies to be followed by other agencies, and all intelligence gathered on trafficking is now being held on a central computer database being administered in Gloucester, and accessed throughout the country.

This marks the first occasion that the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System (HOLMES) has been used in such a way and the intelligence gathered on it will give an invaluable picture of trafficking throughout the UK.