A major investigation into a suspected modern slavery and human trafficking network operating in Cambridge has advanced significantly after police in Romania arrested three men believed to be linked to the operation.
Officers in the Dâmbovița region detained the men, all aged in their 30s and 40s, last week. They are suspected of trafficking victims for sexual exploitation. During coordinated raids, Romanian authorities also seized cash in multiple currencies, electronic devices, weapons, and a range of documents believed to support the inquiry.
The arrests form part of a joint investigation between the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) and Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism. The operation centres on the trafficking of 21 women into the UK, many of whom are believed to have been exploited across Cambridgeshire.
The cross-border probe intensified earlier this year when ERSOU officers arrested three men, also in their 30s and 40s, on suspicion of trafficking, prostitution and money laundering offences. Those arrests, made in July, signalled the beginning of a wider push to dismantle the network’s UK-based activities.
A woman in her 20s was later detained at Luton Airport on suspicion of possession of criminal property. She was questioned and released on bail alongside the three men, who all remain under investigation as inquiries continue.
Modern slavery and human trafficking remain significant concerns across Cambridgeshire, with police and support agencies stressing that exploitation often takes place in ordinary neighbourhoods and can be hidden in plain sight. ERSOU’s latest action represents one of the most substantial cross-border efforts targeting such crimes in the region this year.
Authorities in both countries say they expect further developments as evidence seized in Romania is examined and interviews continue in the UK. Meanwhile, safeguarding teams are working to support victims believed to have been trafficked by the network.
Anyone with concerns about potential modern slavery is urged to contact the police or the Modern Slavery Helpline.
