Sheffield man arrested in police raids targeting sex trafficking
Around 150 officers were involved in raids in Sheffield and Teeside
A man’s been arrested in Sheffield as part of police raids aimed at tackling human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Around 150 officers were involved in simultaneous raids in Sheffield and Stockton-on-Tees, which led to 9 men being held on suspicion of offences including conspiracy to rape, trafficking and drugs offences.
Immigration officers were also involved in the major operation, which was sparked by a young woman from Teesside telling police she had been trafficked around the country and subjected to serious sexual offences, including rape.
Officers held eight men in Stockton plus one in Sheffield following a raid in the Callow Mount area of the city.
Assistant Chief Constable Jason Harwin from Cleveland Police said: “To deploy 150 officers shows how seriously we take this.
“Human trafficking, the exploitation of the most vulnerable in our communities by the most ruthless, will not be accepted.
“Our message is clear, to those who are victims in the case: there is hope.
“We are on your side; we can and will help you.
“We are here for you and we are stronger and more determined than your abusers.''
Cleveland Police said the operation was based on intelligence that an unknown number of young women have been trafficked and raped at different addresses.
Police were unable to say if any of them were under age.
Assistant Chief Constable Harwin – who used to work for South Yorkshire Police – says it’s a joint policing operation: “In line with the intelligence we believe that a number of individuals, particularly young women, have been trafficked not just in Cleveland but taken down to South Yorkshire as well. So it’s a joint investigation with South Yorkshire Police."