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Enslaved & En Route: UK Human Trafficking Operation Discovers Dozens of Victims

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Authorities in Britain have uncovered more victims of modern slavery in a coordinated crackdown on human trafficking.

Among the victims were three Romanians suspected of arriving in the UK to be sexually exploited were discovered at Manchester airport following heightened checks on incoming flights from Tirana, Bucharest at Gatwick.

A 14 year old Romanian girl was also rescued at UK immigration controls in Calais while warrants were issued by Kent Police at 11 address in towns on England's coast line.

It's estimated up to 13,000 victims of modern slavery in Britain, according to the Home Office

READ MORE: 'We Can't Fail Victims' UK Gov't Must Extend Help to Slavery Survivors

The National Crime Agency (NCA) worked with the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) in the nationwide operation to find people enslaved and potential victims.

"This coordinated week of activity aimed to disrupt and build intelligence on the criminal networks involved in labor exploitation, but also to raise awareness of the issues around modern slavery for workers," Roy McComb, NCA deputy director said in statement.

READ MORE: The Real Cost of Britain's Construction Industry Exposed — Report

Social media also has a role in preventing exploitation; videos and posts in English, Polish, Romanian and Slovakian were published to help people spot signs of slavery and offer advice to victims on what to do while police visited building sites and checked fishing boats.

The extent of modern slavery in Britain was recently exposed in a report described as "horrifying" but Kevin Hyland, former Anti-Slavery Commissioner.

READ MORE: Modern Day Slavery in Britain ‘Laid Bare' by New Report

'The Nature and Scale of Labor Exploitation Across all Sectors Within the UK' is published by the government's Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority, which also worked with the NCA on the latest coordinated crackdown on human trafficking.

The in-depth report revealed a 362 percent increase in the number of British victims of human trafficking while data showed the UK and France as the most popular destination for trafficked Romanian children.

Despite being regarded as a leader in Europe for passing the Modern Slavery Act in 2015, the British government has received criticism in recent reports accusing the Home Office of not understanding victims, perpetrators or the crime.

READ MORE: Damning Report Exposes UK Gov't Failure to Tackle Modern Slavery

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