West Yorkshire Police Launch Crackdown on Organised Immigration Crime

Three arrests and fifteen e-bikes have been seized as part of a crackdown on organised immigration crime across West Yorkshire.

The operation was led by West Yorkshire Police and supported by partner agencies such as the Fair Work Agency, Immigration Enforcement, Immigration Intelligence, Justice and Care and Taxi Licensing. Officers and partners were out across the region to ensure people are being treated fairly and working legally.

Organised crime groups often exploit vulnerable people by facilitating illegal entry into the UK, exposing them to dangerous journeys and exploitative conditions.

Operation Lockstream is a national initiative that works to identify these networks, protect those at risk, and ensure offenders are brought to justice.

The national intensification period from Monday 21 September – Monday 5 October focused on rail, road, and ports.

In West Yorkshire, the approach specifically targeted roads, namely delivery drivers who use e-bikes as they are at risk of exploitation or immigration offences.

During the investigation, officers spoke with 56 e-bike riders, stopped and checked 21 vehicles and submitted 14 intelligence reports.

Operational activity focused on identifying and safeguarding those who may be vulnerable to exploitation, while disrupting those responsible for facilitating it.

This included speaking with delivery riders and drivers as well as people who may have been subject to labour exploitation or criminal exploitation, including involvement in drug supply activity.

Detective Inspector Victoria Daniel-Thomas, from the Modern Slavery Human Trafficking team, said:

"The intensification period highlights the continued work that our officers and partners do to protect our region.

“The operation strengthened partnerships across law enforcement and external agencies, generated valuable intelligence, and contributed to ongoing efforts to safeguard vulnerable individuals while disrupting organised immigration crime, modern slavery, and human trafficking.

“Organised crime is connected to violence, exploitation and anti-social behaviour and we aim to identify and protect anyone at risk. We hope to make West Yorkshire a difficult place for organised criminal gangs to operate and ensure the safety of our communities.”

Spotting the signs of potential organised immigration crime victims:

● No access to ID documents

● Physical or psychological abuse

● Debt bonded – paid less than minimum wage/ not paid

● Transported to and from work in vans, often in groups

● Being picked up and dropped off to work at unusual times

● Working very long hours

● Poor accommodation/overcrowding

● No formal contract of employment

● Inadequate work equipment

● Often accompanied/ chaperoned

● Being spoken for

● May not know their own address

● Poor language skills

If you see something that doesn’t look right, if you are worried about someone, or something looks suspicious, report it to West Yorkshire Police online using www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat.

You can also report via the Home Office endorsed charity Stop the Traffick at www.stopthetraffik.org