Trafficing of Women in Northern Ireland PSNI clampdown

dublin | crime and justice | opinion/analysis Friday September 03, 2010 15:57 by Clodagh

Human trafficing has been dramatically clamped down on in the North of Ireland,while in the Republic we are still struggling to deal with the old criminal gangs of ireland,and not succeeding.

And we certainly are nowhere near reform in our police force in the south ,tackling such issues as cyber crime and prostitution in the repulblic it is most definately red light zone,a free for all..

'Fifteen women have been rescued as police raided a series of brothels in a major crackdown on human trafficking in Northern Ireland.

The women, from European Union countries, were believed to have been forced into working as prostitutes in Belfast.

Police detained three people during UK-wide property searches and they will be questioned in Northern Ireland.

Detective Chief Superintendent Roy McComb, head of the PSNI organised crime branch, said: "This is modern-day slavery where human beings are treated like commodities by sophisticated organised crime gangs who are making substantial criminal profits from the sex trade.

"These gangs have no thought for the health and well-being of their victims. They see them simply as instruments to help them generate cash."

A total of 15 properties were searched across the UK.

Mr McComb added: "Human trafficking and prostitution is no longer gender specific. Men and women are being tricked or forced into prostitution in major towns and cities. They are being robbed of their liberty, stripped of their dignity, and suffer intolerable conditions as unwilling emblems of the sex trade."

Patrick Yu, executive director of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities, said the discovery was welcome but warned the women needed protection.

"In most cases they don't want to testify (against their captors) because their family may be in danger at home," he said.

Patricia Lyness, a project manager at the Women's Aid Federation, said the authorities had made an effort to improve their handling of the trafficked women.'