Three arrests made as part of modern slavery operation led by GMP
Three arrests were made in a modern slavery operation led by Greater Manchester Police (GMP), targeting an abattoir in Stockport and a residential property in Blackburn. Two individuals were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and slavery offences, while a third, an Albanian national, was detained for illegal residency and attempting to evade police. The operation followed allegations of a worker being forced to live and work in the abattoir to pay off debts linked to a sponsorship visa. Multiple agencies, including the GLAA and Salvation Army, collaborated in the investigation, which involved interviewing 30 employees and seizing evidence. Authorities emphasized the importance of public vigilance and reporting suspected cases of modern slavery.
Police smashed into a Stockport abattoir late Thursday night and arrested three people on modern-slavery charges after a former worker alleged he had been forced to live inside the plant and toil around the clock to repay inflated visa and travel debts.
Officers battered down doors at the Higher Bury Street site shortly before midnight while a second team executed a warrant at a house on Merlin Road, Blackburn. A man and a woman, both in their thirties, were held at the Blackburn address on suspicion of human trafficking and offences under the Modern Slavery Act. At the abattoir a third man - an Albanian national working illegally - was caught after he fled across the roof in an attempt to evade capture and is now being processed by Immigration Enforcement.
Detectives interviewed 30 employees on the night shift, seized phones, computers and paperwork, and called in specialists from the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, the Home Office and charities including the Salvation Army and Justice and Care. “Officers spoke with every employee working within the abattoir last night; they were receptive to our presence and we engaged in good discussions around their working conditions, payment and terms of employment,” said Detective Sergeant Lee Attenborough of GMP’s Stockport Challenger Team. “Thankfully there were no further claims of exploitation.”
The force said the operation is one of several active modern-slavery inquiries across Greater Manchester. Last year officers charged 80 suspects - up 40% on 2023 - and secured 19 convictions, compared with seven the previous year. Anyone who suspects exploitation is urged to call police or the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 0121 700.
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