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Four men arrested over slavery and kidnap charges | Four men arrested over slavery and kidnap charges |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Four people have been arrested in Cardiff on slavery and kidnap charges spanning a period of 26 years. | |
Homes in the Rumney area in the east of the city and Bristol were raided by Operation Imperial officers on Monday morning. | |
Four men from Rumney, aged 57, 37, 34 and 33, are being held at Ystrad Mynach police station. | |
The alleged slavery offences relate to two men, who police said were safe and being supported by officers. | |
Three men - aged 57, 37 and 33 - were held on suspicion of knowingly or conspiring to hold a person in slavery, servitude or requiring another person to perform forced or compulsory labour, kidnap, false imprisonment and assault. | |
A fourth man, 34, was arrested on suspicion of knowingly or conspiring to hold a person in slavery, servitude or requiring another person to perform forced or compulsory labour and assault. | |
A Gwent Police spokeswoman said the four arrests related to two alleged victims, who were not recovered from the addresses raided. | |
'Extremely serious' | |
Police are investigating allegations of slavery, servitude and forced labour in relation to one of the alleged victims. | |
Claims of kidnap, false imprisonment and assault are being investigated in connection with the second alleged victim. | |
The arrests were made by officers working on Gwent Police's Operation Imperial. | |
South Wales Police and Avon and Somerset Police were also involved in Monday's operation. | |
Det Supt Paul Griffiths said: "The alleged offences we are investigating are extremely serious and we would urge anyone with any information which could assist to contact the Imperial team directly by dialling 01633 647174." | Det Supt Paul Griffiths said: "The alleged offences we are investigating are extremely serious and we would urge anyone with any information which could assist to contact the Imperial team directly by dialling 01633 647174." |
Jacqueline Parry, a local councillor from Rumney said: "There will be absolute shock (over the arrests). | |
"You do not expect it in a suburban area, an area where people know each other, where there are communities." | "You do not expect it in a suburban area, an area where people know each other, where there are communities." |