UK crime agency: Modern slavery more prevalent than thought

Britain’s National Crime Agency says human trafficking and modern slavery are much more prevalent than previously thought, and involve 300 active police investigations across the UK.

Agency official Will Kerr says investigators have found widespread evidence of people as young as 12 being sold for sexual exploitation or forced labor. He says victims can be found working in car washes, on construction sites, in brothels and at cannabis factories.

Kerr tells reporters that “the growing body of evidence we are collecting points to the scale being far larger than anyone previously thought.”

The agency is launching a campaign to raise public awareness of modern slavery. Kerr says signs of slavery include visible injuries, a distressed appearance and any indication an individual is being controlled by another person.

— AP