Specialist Crime Directorate 9: update report

Report: 8
Date: 13 October 2011
By: Assistant Commissioner Specialist Crime on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

On 1st April 2010 the Human Exploitation and Organised Crime Command SCD9 was created. Since that date SCD9 has provided a number of reports to the Metropolitan Police Authority the most recent being a performance review in November 2010. This report will provide an update on the work of SCD9 Trafficking and Prostitution Unit and will include headline performance data, our partnership working both internal and external, Olympic preparations, Realignment plans and the future challenges.

A. Recommendation

That Members note the progress made by SCD9 to date.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. SCD9 was formed in April 2010 to enhance the MPS response to the investigation of human trafficking and organised immigration crime. The Command is comprised of a number of distinct units with Pan London responsibilities combating criminal networks in the following areas:

• Trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced labour and domestic servitude. This also includes off street prostitution (Trafficking and Prostitution Unit)
• Organised Immigration Crime (Operation Maxim)
• Obscene publications, extreme pornography and child abuse images (Abusive and Extreme Pornography Unit)
• Tackling violence and drugs supply within the night time economy. This a small team focusing on casino fraud and money laundering (Clubs Unit)
• Tackling violence within promoted music events and proactive licensing across the MPS (Proactive Licensing)

MPS response to the Government Trafficking Strategy and other policy development.

1. The MPS welcome the publication of the Governments Trafficking Strategy. The TPU contributed to the development of this strategy and support the four key aims:

• International action to stop trafficking happening in the first place
• Smarter border enforcement
• Co-ordinated law enforcement in the UK
• Improved identification and care for the victims of trafficking

2. There are a number of actions that we have already contributed to or will have an influence on their completion in the coming 12 months. To improve victim identification and care we have now published a national computer based training package for front line responders. This is mandatory training for approximately 18000 staff in the MPS and 120000 across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland (CBT systems to be available in 2012). SCD9 are advising on a second national training product for investigators that is planned for launch in the summer of 2012. The TPU are working with the UKHTC to develop accurate trafficking data from a variety of sources under the title of Project Meridian. This intelligence will inform Government/Home Office/UKBA/SOCA decision making on the most effective upstream prevention activity, to stop trafficking at source.

3. The TPU are represented on the working group for the Centre of Social Justice review into Slavery. This is an eighteen month project and is an evidence based review on all aspects of trafficking. It is hoped that this review will influence future Government strategy here in the UK and internationally.

4. The TPU have led the way with international joint investigations to target traffickers and their networks abroad. This has enhanced our ability to catch those responsible, seize their profits, share intelligence and ultimately to stop trafficking at source. Furthermore, the unit are training European enforcement agencies on how to conduct efficient and effective international trafficking investigations. The training is funded entirely by Eurojust but will bring about greater co-ordination of law enforcement across Europe.

5. The command are continuing to work closely with the newly appointed ACPO Trafficking lead, ACC Olivia Pinkney (Sussex), UKHTC, UKBA and the Home Office to deliver on the policing elements of the strategy, both within the MPS and nationally.

Overview of the work of SCD9 in the past twelve months (policy, practice, training and resources).

6. The Trafficking and Prostitution Unit (TPU) undertakes the following key areas of responsibility

• To undertake all trafficking investigations on behalf of the MPS where there are clear links to an Organised Criminal Network (OCN).
• To provide a 24/7 response through SCD Reserve to all MPS requests for assistance in trafficking cases and, where necessary, deploy staff to assist. Out of hours this is now an advisory service.
• To act as the MPS principle point of contact for Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) both in the UK and overseas.
• To act as MPS principle point of contact for the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC), UK Borders Agency (UKBA) and the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) responsibilities.

Policy

7. During the last 12 Months the unit has developed the MPS policy on Human Trafficking to ensure consistency of approach across the MPS. The TPU remain the sole dedicated anti-trafficking unit within the UK and provide significant influence in enhancing the UK approach to dealing with the issue of human trafficking. The command has recently contributed to the development of the UK Government Strategy on Human Trafficking and will work with key partners on the delivery of actions on the four strands.

Practice

8. During the last 12 Months, the TPU have conducted a large number of international investigations. As part of these investigations the unit has created two Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) [1], with law enforcement counterparts in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The JIT process provides funding from Eurojust to reduce the financial burden of international investigations. A third JIT is being developed with Romania. These joint investigations enhance the ability to share intelligence and operational deployments. The Czech Republic investigation concerns trafficking for sexual exploitation with over 20 victims identified and 7 suspects. This matter awaits trial. The Bulgarian investigation concerns sexual exploitation with victims located in the UK, Bulgaria and Germany. Three suspects have been arrested and await trial.

9. A number of bi-lateral investigations have been conducted in the past twelve months with enforcement agencies across the globe. These included:

• Romanian children trafficked for domestic servitude.
• Romanian males being forced to commit crime or face severe beatings from their traffickers.
• Polish nationals being trafficked for benefit fraud.
• Latvian victims of sex trafficking.
• Indian nationals being trafficked for forced labour and included offences of rape.
• A further Romanian case where victims were offered work in the hotel industry but then forced into prostitution.
• Hungarian nationals being trafficked for sexual exploitation.
• A major Polish Organised Crime Group operating in both the UK and Poland trafficking women for sexual exploitation.

10. This list is not exhaustive but indicates the extent of the international co-operation required to conduct effective investigations.

11. A recent operational success concerned the trafficking of women from across Eastern Europe into a number of brothels in Chelsea. In October 2011 Sergey Konart, a Russian born Israeli national, was convicted of trafficking and a number of money laundering offences and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. His female accomplice received a two and a half year sentence. Their identified profit was in excess of £500,000 with £50,000 cash seized here in the UK. Asset confiscation procedures are continuing. This investigation involved a number of law enforcement agencies across Europe.

Training

12. As part of an ongoing training and development need for the TPU staff funding for surveillance training has now been secured. This will enable the team to conduct covert investigations without drawing on resources from other Commands, allowing efficient deployments and enhances the capability of the team considerably. The command has developed a national training package and is currently working with ACPO, UKHTC and the Welsh Trafficking Co-coordinator to develop an investigator training package.

13. The TPU continue to work very closely with NGO partners and welcome the appointment of the Salvation Army as the national contract lead for victim service provision. The partnership network continues to assist in identifying victims and referring cases to the unit for investigation. The national computer based training program launched in the summer was developed with the assistance of Poppy, Kalayaan and Migrant Help. More detail on all the partnership work is detailed later in the report.

14. This year the Human Trafficking Helpline which was developed by the TPU was launched across London through a sponsored poster campaign which was developed in conjunction with key trafficking NGO partners. These posters and the information contained in them were translated into the 6 most common languages spoken by the victims that the team has come across. The creation of this helpline has already led to the direct rescue of victims and been recognised nationally as a significant development

Resources

15. The team comprises 39 officers currently dedicated to tackling all elements of human trafficking. The officers are trained in key specialist areas such as surveillance, and victim centered officers are all SOIT trained.

16. The command is in the process of making an EU funding bid in partnership with the London Boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, and a number of NGOs for a joint anti-trafficking unit. Should this bid be successful four officers can be recruited for a two year tenure which will enhance the units ability to deliver operationally and in a joined up way with key partners.

Provide data on all reported cases to SCD9 during the past 12 months, including crime type, profile data of the victims and suspects. Provide a sanction detection rate on the above offences.

17. Since the creation of the TPU in 2010 a total number of 201 trafficked victims have been identified through the work of the TPU including all referrals from the NGO sector. In the financial year 2010 / 2011 a total of 19 proactive trafficking operations were commenced. The detection ratio during this first year per trafficking operation is 58% [2]. A total of 121 suspects were arrested during this period with 73 suspects being charged for all matters within the remit of the TPU. 19 of these suspects were charged with trafficking and a further 20 being charged with controlling prostitution for gain offences or similar. [3] . Other charges included rape, assault, and money laundering offences. In this financial year a total of 65 victims have been identified with a total of 37 crimes currently being investigated.15 organised crime networks (OCN) currently await trial with a total of 34 defendants. 18 of these defendants are charged with trafficking.

18. Within the MPS victims most commonly originate from Eastern Europe with Romanian nationals the highest single group [4]. Nigerian victims are the second most commonly recorded group on MPS systems.

19. The suspects in human trafficking cases are commonly of the same nationality as their victims. The exceptions to this general theme are Albanian networks that are known to purchase their victims and then internally traffick victims. As with victims, Romanian nationals are the most commonly reported suspects on MPS systems. The suspects are commonly older than their victims and are generally between 25 - 45 years of age.

20. Referrals into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) [5] have also increased over the previous two years nationally. All indicators are that we are identifying more victims, conducting more investigations and that this trend is increasing rather than decreasing. The training and awareness programmes ongoing across a number of sectors are likely to positively impact on these figures.

21. Over the previous 5 years the victim profile is disproportionately represented by young females (20 - 30 years of age) from the EU (Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania), approximately 44%. The NRM data shows non EU nationals are more likely to refer into the system and as such 50% are African nationalities (Nigerian being the most common). This is contrasted with this group also receiving the highest number of negative decisions (Not trafficked).

22. Child trafficking on reported data including MPS crime reports and the NRM show that under 18 year old victims represent 27% of all cases. This includes Operation Golf (Romanian child trafficking investigation). The nature of exploitation cuts across all strands but there are marginally more cases of sexual exploitation.

23. In 2010 155 brothel visits were conducted. The nationality of the women found working in those brothels broadly reflected that of the trafficking crime data. Romanians were most prevalent with 37% and next were Chinese nationals with 18%. It is not possible to accurately state the percentage of migrant prostitutes that are trafficked as part of the off-street brothel market in London. The most detailed research conducted under Project Acumen (August 2010) gives the best indication of levels of trafficking in off-street prostitution. In London it was estimated that approximately 2103 brothels were operating at that time with approximately 5100 prostitutes using the premises. Over 90% of the prostitutes were migrants. The research concluded that approximately 9% were believed to be trafficked (Applying the International Labour Organization indicators for trafficking) with 45% being described as vulnerable migrants with at least one dimension of the ILO trafficking definition.

24. Across Europe the most active groups concerned in trafficking have been Bulgarian, Nigerian and Romanian. Sexual exploitation is the most common form of exploitation reported to the MPS through the NRM. The controlling mechanisms used by the Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) commonly included debt bondage, physical violence including rape, psychological violence and the use of technology to control or intimidate their victims.

Outline of partnership working regionally, nationally and internationally.

25. Regional updates: The development of a dedicated referral system for the NGO sector has allowed victims to be identified and investigations to be commenced. The dedicated email portal, referral form and contact telephone number has given the NGO sector a direct reporting route to the TPU. This is of great benefit to the NGOs but most importantly the victims.

26. In addition to the referral system for the NGO sector the TPU have created a London free phone number for victims and members of the public to call for support and advice. Poster advertising campaigns have been circulated in a variety of languages in targeted locations across London. To compliment this, the TPU have also produced postcards with the same campaign material printed on them. The TPU are in discussion with our colleagues at the UKHTC to develop this into a national line for trafficked victims.

27. The TPU recently held the first annual partnership day where all our external partners were invited in for a series of presentations on our work and future plans. The TPU are also due to launch the first publicly available newsletter where our operational successes will be published along with law updates and other trafficking related news.

28. Working in partnership with a London based charity the TPU have recently secured the use of dedicated victim interview suite that will allow evidential interviews to be conducted in comfort and anonymity. This has been provided at no cost to the MPS. The private premises are available for our use 24 hours a day and the charity will also provide a care worker to support the victim. These facilities will enable our officers to provide an extremely high standard of victim care and will enhance our ability to secure the very best evidence in our cases.

29. Within the London region the TPU are represented on a number of GLA and MPA groups focussed on different elements of trafficking.

30. As part of a broader awareness raising campaign the TPU have trained a number of embassy staff on identifying and supporting victims of trafficking that may present themselves at the embassy or consulate.

31. National updates: The TPU have developed first responder training for national role out to approximately 100,000 officers and police staff. The team continue to work with the Welsh trafficking co-ordinator, ACPO and UKHTC to develop a bespoke investigator training package for national delivery in 2012.

32. A Protection Working Group chaired by UKHTC and supported by the TPU, brings together all the service providers (overseen by Salvation Army) to discuss issues of victim protection on a national level. A similar working group known as the Prosecution Working Group chaired by UKHTC includes enforcement agencies from across the UK, Northern Ireland and Europol. Again, the TPU are a key member and this meeting supports the free flow of intelligence, operational advice and prevention activity.

33. The command is represented on the Home Office Threat Reduction Boards for Immigration Crime and Trafficking with ACPO, UKHTC, UKBA, SOCA and Home Office representatives.

34. The TPU have supported a number of pieces of academic research with data or interview based evidence. The TPU will continue to support independent research into this arena to ensure that we are capturing an accurate picture of trafficking. The unit were invited to work with the Centre of Social Justice in their review of slavery in the UK. This work is ongoing and will be published in October 2012.

35. International updates: Work continues with a number of international enforcement agencies. Currently the TPU have two live Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) with Bulgaria and Czech Republic authorities. Both are cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation. The JIT application process also provides funding for travel expenses which reduces the burden on the police budgets to support costly international enquiries.

36. The TPU also have a number of current bi-lateral investigations with Romania, Poland, Latvia and India. Over the past twelve months, in addition to the above cases, the TPU have worked with authorities in Tanzania, Albania, Germany, US, Belarus, Moldova and Nigeria.

37. This work on an international level has increased the flow of intelligence across borders. The TPU have been invited to work with the Polish and Ukrainian authorities in setting up their counter trafficking teams in 2012.

38. In October 2011 the Human Trafficking handbook was published and launched at an international event held in London. This was a joint enterprise with chapters from across all sectors being combined into this one publication. The work of the TPU has been referenced throughout the book and one dedicated chapter written by SCD9.

Outline internal working relationships with TP BOCU, SCD2, SCD5 and SCD6.

39. A detailed SOP has been published setting out the remit of the trafficking team, how the TPU will support other OCUs across the MPS and work together with other specialist units. This is available along with extensive guidance on all matters relating to SCD9 on our internal website. In addition the TPU provide a 24 hour response to trafficking with an advisory service out of hours. The TPU have trained a number of BOCUs to assist them in managing, at a local level, on and off street prostitution. This service will continue throughout the next financial year.

40. The SCD5 Paladin Team is a joint working team with the United Kingdom Border Agency responsible for the safeguarding of children traveling through London ports. An excellent working relationship exists between the TPU and Paladin. The Paladin team is based at Heathrow, with officers at the Asylum Screening Unit at Croydon and also provides a response for other London ports including London City Airport. Their focus is concentrated on safeguarding children moving through the ports and they work in parallel with the SCD9 Human Trafficking team regarding the trafficking of children.

41. The Paladin team advises agencies on child protection matters at ports and investigates issues surrounding children coming to notice for significant harm issues. In any case where they suspect trafficking may have taken place they liaise with the TPU to agree who is best placed to investigate the matter. Paladin support and advise Child Abuse Investigation Teams regarding safeguarding and immigration issues. The safeguarding of the child will always take primacy.

42. It is not uncommon for TPU investigations to uncover historical rape allegations of the trafficked victims. In these circumstances the TPU will retain ownership of the rape investigation utilising the specially trained SOIT officers within the team in line with the agreed MPS SOP. SCD2 will always be made aware of the allegation under investigation. Policy dictates that should the allegation be less than seven days old primacy would rest with SCD2. However, this would always be subject to local negotiation. The best interest of the victim will always be paramount in the decision making process.

43. The planned amalgamation of SCD6 and SCD9 is discussed in more detail under future planning and policy direction.

Overview of Olympic planning and activity by SCD9.

44. At the time of writing the intelligence held both within the MPS and at a national level supports the view that the current MPS (TPU) response to human trafficking will meet the demands as we move towards 2012. Our policies and procedures will be formally reviewed in February 2012. However, we will continually monitor our response in liaison with our intelligence partners within UKHTC, UKBA and Europol.

45. The TPU already provides a 24 hour response to requests for assistance in relation to trafficking from across the MPS via the Specialist Crime Operations Centre (SCD Reserve) offering advice out of hours to local investigators. During the Olympic period this service will be extended to have a deployable asset for an extended period of the day.

46. In preparation for the Olympics the TPU has created a dedicated team funded by the Migration Impact Fund (Government Funding) to combat all areas of trafficking and prostitution on the five Olympic Boroughs. The team is comprised of SCD9 funded officers and three fully funded posts from the Migration Impact Fund. The funding for these three officer posts will cease in July 2012. This team works closely with TP BOCUS to tackle both on and off street prostitution and continues to advise in planning and delivering covert solutions to tackle the criminality. The intelligence currently held does not support any increase in prostitution in the Olympic Boroughs and actually shows a decrease in some locations. The TPU are continually monitoring this situation.

47. Brothel premises on the Olympic Boroughs linked to trafficking have been identified and will be targeted into 2012. This will be sustained activity and the premises will not be allowed to re-open or displace to a new venue. All offences will be considered that relate to prostitution with particular attention on identifying and rescuing trafficked victims. In addition to this the TPU are working with Westminster and Camden Boroughs to reduce their brothel markets in partnership with their council licensing enforcement teams.

48. The advertising of sexual services in the media is also being targeted. Local papers including those printed in foreign languages have been warned that their advertising of brothel premises may constitute an offence. We have had separate negotiations with the major print media business groups. There has been widespread support with some groups agreeing to reduce or remove entirely their adult services sections.

49. Throughout the Olympic period all deployments of resources remain the responsibility of the SCD9 tasking process. This will continue to give oversight of the tactical deployments and use of resources at all times, balancing the day to day needs with the MPS priorities during the Olympics. Flexibility will be required across all of SCD9 to meet these demands.

50. There is also a perceived risk that within the food supply chains for the Olympics that trafficking may take place. Whilst most of this risk will sit outside of London and in some cases outside of the UK, a food packaging industry exists in West London. To ensure that we have the best intelligence and can undertake effective prevention activity we have invited the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) to work within the TPU offices. This will support their activity and share intelligence more effectively within the safeguards of an information sharing agreement (ACPO). It is anticipated that this working arrangement will be effective by December 2011.

51. The SCD9 OCU Commander chairs a cross sector and NGO strategic group that has created specific work plans to tackle trafficking for sexual exploitation and labour in the run up to the Olympics.

Outline of the future planning and policy direction for SCD9.

52. A business case has been agreed by the SCD re-alignment team proposing that SCD6 and SCD9 should come together to form one command. The proposal identifies some financial saving in relation to management costs. The TPU remit remains unchanged.

53. Re-alignment also recommends changes to some portfolios within SCD9. Firstly the computer crime unit that formed part of the Abusive and Extreme Images team (AEIU) will be moved to SCD5 Paedophile Unit. The AEIU will reduce in numbers and concentrate their efforts on adult obscenity offences. It will revert to the title of Obscene Publications Unit (OPU). The responsibility for policing the distribution and possession of indecent images of children will transfer to SCD5. Consequently, SCD9 will no longer investigate such offences.

54. The proactive licensing unit along with the associated work in risk assessing the promoted music events is proposed to transfer to territorial policing (TP). This proposal is yet to be ratified. The proposal also sets out budget savings as part of the transfer and the SCD9 budget will reduce accordingly with the loss of the staff.

55. There is one further project proposal yet to be ratified. This relates to the support provided by the Trafficking and Prostitution Unit to TP boroughs for the covert policing of street based prostitution. This proposal does not relate to off street prostitution which will remain within the remit of SCD9. The vast majority of policing activity tackling street based prostitution is already carried out by TP borough staff. This includes officers from the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams, Response Teams and local Vice Teams. Training support will be provided by the TPU until 2013 should BOCU staff require further guidance.

56. Overall the focus of the TPU will remain unaltered as we move into 2012. Our aim is to be a world leading anti-trafficking enforcement agency, to make London a hostile environment for traffickers and provide a service to victims that builds confidence and trust. We will continually review our policing tactics and formally review the policy around trafficking in February 2012. The tasking process within SCD9 will act to mitigate the risks of reducing budgets and team strengths. Our aim will always be to provide the best policing service possible despite the challenges of fiscal restraint.

57. The TPU in partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and a number of charities based here in the UK and in Europe are applying for EU funding. The proposal will enable the creation of a joint team comprising of NGO workers and four officers to combat trafficking in London. The bid total is £400,000 and is planned support the activity for two years from April 2012. Should this bid be successful the four officers funded under this project will mitigate the loss of the three officers in June 2012 provided by the Migration Impact Fund.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. The SOP developed by SCD9 for the investigation of human trafficking has been published and is due for the first formal review in February 2012. The creation of this policy included a full equality impact assessment. Whilst much of our activity noted in this report has not changed significantly since that impact assessment was completed we are continually listening to feedback from our partners and looking to improve our service delivery. This report has mentioned proposed enforcement activity on the brothel market in London. As a command we remain victim focussed in all our activity. However, we are aware that any enforcement activity on illegal brothels, that is sustained, will inevitably impact upon individual prostitutes. One possible outcome is that prostitution may be displaced onto the streets and become a very overt issue for local communities across London. We will continue to monitor the effects of our activity very closely, utilising our partners providing outreach services as well as community based feedback and other intelligence sources available to the police.

Consideration of Met Forward

2. The work of SCD9 and in particular that of the TPU compliments a number of the Met Forward mission strands. The TPU is the only specialised trafficking unit in the UK and is leading the way in developing best practice in investigating trafficking offences. We share this learning both nationally and internationally (Met Specialist). We understand the importance of effective partnerships and the TPU continue to build upon our relationships with the third sector. This investment builds trust and confidence in some hard to reach communities and allows victims to be identified (Met Partners). We continue to engage at a very local policing level to ensure that enforcement activity is delivered across London to reduce levels of illegal prostitution. Reducing both on and off street prostitution is vital in making local residents feel safer in their communities and public spaces (Met streets).

Financial Implications

3. The costs associated with all the activity mentioned in this report are covered by existing budgets.

Legal Implications

4. There are no legal implications arising from this report.

Environmental Implications

5. There are no environmental implications associated with this report.

Risk Implications

6. The work of SCD9 TPU has developed excellent working relationships with fellow enforcement groups and NGO’s both nationally and internationally. This has resulted in a steady increase in trafficking cases and the identification of trafficked victims over the previous 3 years. This increase in work has been challenging at times but managed within the resources available to SCD9 as a whole. The abstraction of staff to special investigations will continue to be managed locally, with all work will being prioritized and monitored through the tasking process to ensure that we meet our obligations.

7. There are no known health and safety implications identified as a result of this report.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author: DCS Richard Martin, OCU Commander SCD9, MPS

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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