News

3 October 2007
OPERATION PENTAMETER 2 LAUNCHED IN SCOTLAND

The police service in Scotland will be playing a full part in the nationwide operation against human trafficking codenamed Pentameter 2.

The operation was launched today and will involve a series of intelligence-led activities up and down the country aimed at detecting the criminals engaged in trafficking while ensuring that their victims are properly cared for.

In conjunction with a number of partner agencies including the Border and Immigration Agency, HM Revenue and Customs and local councils the police service will work to rescue victims and identify, disrupt, arrest and bring to justice those involved in criminal activity.

There will be a particular emphasis on those involved in the sex trade in our towns and cities as there is intelligence that many of those involved have been brought to Scotland by force or deception.

Assistant Chief Constable John LS Malcolm of Strathclyde Police, who is leading the operation on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, said: “The trafficking of human beings is a form of slavery and will not be tolerated in a civilised modern society.

“Many people suffer abuse at the hands of those who have brought them to this country and are forced to engage in the sex industry to pay for food and shelter.

“The police service in Scotland will be working with a range of partners in the coming months to ensure not only that the traffickers are traced and dealt with but also that their innocent victims are released and given care and support.”

Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill said:

“The Scottish Government wholeheartedly supports the action taken by our police forces to combat the heinous crime of human trafficking.

“This operation will assist our wider efforts to ensure that Scotland is a hostile environment for human traffickers and will send out a clear message that we, as a society, will not tolerate this modern-day slavery.

“The operation is not only about bringing traffickers to justice, but about protecting and supporting the victims of trafficking.

“The police have emphasised from the outset that this is a victim-centred operation and it is important that the needs of those who have been abused and exploited at the hands of the traffickers are not neglected.

“Pentameter 2 will help improve our knowledge about the nature and scale of human trafficking in Scotland, ensure that trafficking becomes core police business, and raise awareness of this crime among the wider public – all objectives of the joint Action Plan on Human Trafficking.”