Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner welcomes NCA action on stolen slavery funds

The National Crime Agency has begun a week of action in collaboration with law enforcement partners across the country to combat modern slavery and human trafficking. Project AIDANT will focus on the illicit financial gains that perpetrators obtain through exploitation of their victims.  

Dame Sara Thornton, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, said:

“Profit is the main driver of modern slavery and human trafficking. Victims are cruelly exploited for little or no pay, whilst enduring horrific living or working conditions. Offenders stand to make lucrative gains from perpetuating human misery - profiting to the tune of $150 billion every year according to the International Labour Organization. Offenders seek to control their victims - stealing their wages, forcing them into unpaid exploitation and often taking over their finances completely.

“The National Crime Agency has begun a week of targeted, collaborative action to uncover modern slavery around the UK and claw back some of these stolen gains. Law enforcement has a critical role to play in investigating illicit financial flows linked to modern slavery including taking back the assets of offenders and providing compensation to survivors. 

“Modern slavery offenders cannot continue to see the rewards as high and the risks as low. I commend the work of the NCA to take action and redress the wrongs caused to victims and society through this terrible crime.”

For more information, please visit the NCA website and social media channels (Twitter  and Facebook) across the week.