Gangmasters Raid: Police arrest at lettings agency

Media reports in Stoke on Trent say a man was arrested after a police raid on the Homes2Let lettings agency in the town.

The Stoke on Trent Live website says police “burst into Homes2Let on Lower Bethesda Street, Hanley, at around 9am [yesterday] as part of a planned operation by the Gangmaster and Labour Abuse Authority.”

The GLAA is a government agency with a remit of protecting vulnerable and exploited workers.

In addition to the arrest at the agency, a second person was arrested following a raid on a private property in Newcastle and a third person was arrested in Llandudno.

The raids were carried out as part of Operation Seddon which was launched after a member of the public raised concerns about possible exploitation at a hotel in Llandudno in North Wales.

The raids were carried out as part of Operation Seddon which was launched after a member of the public raised concerns about possible exploitation at a hotel in Llandudno in North Wales.

Reports suggest that the GLAA raids culminated in the safeguarding of two female British nationals who claim to have been paid £250 a month for working 60 hours per week. One also claimed to have been kept in a cupboard.

It is believed the women were brought to Stoke-on-Trent, where they were then recruited to work at the hotel and allegedly exploited for around a year.

You can see the one of the local reports here.