A human trafficking gang forced the individuals to work either at the fast-food restaurant or the factory, which provided products to major supermarkets, for more than four years.
Six members of a Czech family-operated human trafficking network have now been convicted after two criminal trials, which were delayed due to the Covid pandemic. Reporting restrictions had previously limited coverage of the case.
The victims, many of whom were extremely vulnerable due to homelessness or addiction, were paid at least the legal minimum wage, but most of their wages were stolen by the gang, which used them to fuel a lavish lifestyle in the Czech Republic that included luxury cars and gold jewelry.
Meanwhile, the workers were housed in poor conditions, including a leaking shed and an unheated caravan. Some victims managed to escape and return to the Czech Republic on several occasions, only to be tracked down by the traffickers and brought back to the U.K. for further exploitation.
The exploitation only came to an end in October 2019 after the victims contacted the authorities in the Czech Republic, who in turn alerted British police.
According to the BBC’s investigation, the authorities missed clear signs that the 16 were being exploited.
“It really concerns me that so many red flags were missed and that maybe the companies didn’t do enough to protect vulnerable workers,” said Dame Sara Thornton, former Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, who reviewed the BBC’s findings.
