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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Cuts threaten Scotland Yard's anti-trafficking unit | Cuts threaten Scotland Yard's anti-trafficking unit |
| (8 days later) | |
| The future of Scotland Yard's pioneering anti-trafficking unit is uncertain less than a year after David Cameron promised to make Britain a "world leader" in the fight against people smuggling. | The future of Scotland Yard's pioneering anti-trafficking unit is uncertain less than a year after David Cameron promised to make Britain a "world leader" in the fight against people smuggling. |
| Senior police sources have voiced fears that the Metropolitan police's flagship trafficking unit, the human exploitation and organised crime command (SCD9), may be forced to lose specialist officers due to budget constraints. Government figures last week showed the number being trafficked into the UK was rising. But immigration minister Mark Harper warned that the number of those being prosecuted was still "not enough". | Senior police sources have voiced fears that the Metropolitan police's flagship trafficking unit, the human exploitation and organised crime command (SCD9), may be forced to lose specialist officers due to budget constraints. Government figures last week showed the number being trafficked into the UK was rising. But immigration minister Mark Harper warned that the number of those being prosecuted was still "not enough". |
| Campaigners say any attempt to downsize the specialist unit for tackling trafficking would undermine the Met's fight to stop organised trafficking syndicates operating in the UK. | Campaigners say any attempt to downsize the specialist unit for tackling trafficking would undermine the Met's fight to stop organised trafficking syndicates operating in the UK. |
| A Met source said: "The reality is that no one knows what is going to be happening to the unit as from next April. The sort of refined modelling around the cuts, which we know are coming, has left staff numbers up in the air." Although the positions of up to three anti-trafficking officers are guaranteed for the next two years, following the granting of EU funding last month, financial shortfalls meant two jobs from the unit were lost last month with the rest of the officers in the trafficking unit undecided. | A Met source said: "The reality is that no one knows what is going to be happening to the unit as from next April. The sort of refined modelling around the cuts, which we know are coming, has left staff numbers up in the air." Although the positions of up to three anti-trafficking officers are guaranteed for the next two years, following the granting of EU funding last month, financial shortfalls meant two jobs from the unit were lost last month with the rest of the officers in the trafficking unit undecided. |
| Christine Beddoe, director of the anti-trafficking charity ECPAT UK, said: "The trafficking team in the Met needs to be beefed up, it is clear we need more specialist officers tackling the crime." | Christine Beddoe, director of the anti-trafficking charity ECPAT UK, said: "The trafficking team in the Met needs to be beefed up, it is clear we need more specialist officers tackling the crime." |
| Cameron has said that trafficking is a coalition priority and several days ago the Home Office said "more work than ever before is being carried out both in the UK and internationally to prosecute criminals and stop trafficking gangs in their tracks". Yet in 2011 there were only eight convictions for human trafficking in the UK. | Cameron has said that trafficking is a coalition priority and several days ago the Home Office said "more work than ever before is being carried out both in the UK and internationally to prosecute criminals and stop trafficking gangs in their tracks". Yet in 2011 there were only eight convictions for human trafficking in the UK. |
| Last year, SCD9 rescued 85 potential victims of trafficking during visits to scores of brothels. In addition, 60 women were referred to the unit from voluntary organisations, of whom 39 were confirmed as being trafficked. SCD9 was though given £600,000 to tackle the expected increase in trafficking during the London Olympics, but research is expected to say that few sex workers travelled to the capital because of the 2012 Olympics. | Last year, SCD9 rescued 85 potential victims of trafficking during visits to scores of brothels. In addition, 60 women were referred to the unit from voluntary organisations, of whom 39 were confirmed as being trafficked. SCD9 was though given £600,000 to tackle the expected increase in trafficking during the London Olympics, but research is expected to say that few sex workers travelled to the capital because of the 2012 Olympics. |
| Anthony Steen, chairman of the Human Trafficking Foundation, said that intensive policing levels were required to tackle the crime: "Traffickers run far ahead of law enforcement agencies, using modern technology and sophisticated | Anthony Steen, chairman of the Human Trafficking Foundation, said that intensive policing levels were required to tackle the crime: "Traffickers run far ahead of law enforcement agencies, using modern technology and sophisticated |
| recruitment networks to avoid detection," he said. | recruitment networks to avoid detection," he said. |
| • This article was amended on 20 October 2012. The future of the unit is uncertain but decisions on its overall fate have yet to be made. This has been clarified in relevant places throughout the story and in the standfirst. | • This article was amended on 20 October 2012. The future of the unit is uncertain but decisions on its overall fate have yet to be made. This has been clarified in relevant places throughout the story and in the standfirst. |
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