12:23pm Thursday 4th December 2008
A man and a woman were arrested in Pembrokeshire yesterday in connection with human trafficking offences.
The 47-year-old Irish man and 31-year-old South African woman were arrested by Dyfed-Powys Police as part of a long-running police operation targeting an organised crime gang involved in human trafficking, controlling prostitution and money laundering.
The multi-agency operation was spearheaded by detectives from Northern Ireland Police Service’s Serious Organised Crime Branch, in partnership with the Serious Organised Crime Agency and An Garda Siochana.
The police service believes it has identified at least eight women who were trafficked into Ireland (North and South) and then forced into prostitution.
Detective Chief Superintendent Essie Adair, Head of the Organised Crime Squad, said: “Our inquiries began last year and have involved activity in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Wales and even South Africa.
“This cross-border, inter-continental element has been brought about because we believe the gang was using mobile phones and the internet to run its operations.”
Along with the Pembrokeshire arrests, yesterday’s raids resulted in the search of a house in Pembrokeshire, a premises in England, a flat in Newry and one arrest for immigration offences.
In the Republic of Ireland, 15 premises were searched and four women and two men were arrested on suspicion of organising and managing prostitution.
Det Chief Supt Adair continued: “This is a victim-centred operation where the highest priority has been given to the identification and rescue of suspected victims of human trafficking.
“We believe we have dismantled an organised crime gang which was operating in three jurisdictions in Europe and has links to South Africa.”
The organised crime detective said that the investigation was starting to deliver results after months of covert activity but said that the agencies would not become complacent and would continue in its efforts to tackle organised criminality.
The police service also acknowledged the assistance and support it received from Ruhama, a Dublin-based group working with women involved in prostitution.
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