A modern slavery case which saw three people jailed, including one from Bath, for their role in a nationwide nail bar trafficking operation will be the focus of a BBC documentary this evening.
DC Celia White and DI Charlotte Tucker
‘The Prosecutors’, which due to be televised on BBC Two at 9pm tonight, Thursday 9th August, follows Avon and Somerset Police officers, including DI Charlotte Tucker and DC Celia White, as they investigate the offences which saw young Vietnamese teenagers forced to work without wages in nail bars across the country.
Three people, including a woman from Bath, were sentenced in January following the first successful prosecution in the UK for exploitation and enforced child labour, under the 2015 Modern Slavery Act.
The investigation involved five police forces and the National Crime Agency, and began when officers took part in a multi-agency welfare visit to Nail Deluxe on Westgate Street in Bath, in February 2016 – a premises run by 48-year-old Jenny Nguyen.
DI Charlotte Tucker, who led the investigation for Avon and Somerset Police, said: “What started out as a welfare visit to a nail bar in Bath ended up as a nationwide human trafficking inquiry involving four victims – two found working at the nail bar in Bath and a further two who were located at a nail bar in Burton-on-Trent.
A search of Nguyen’s home in Southdown Road resulted in £60,000 in cash being found concealed inside a stuffed toy
“This was an exploitative criminal operation in which vulnerable young girls were treated as mere commodities and forced to live and work in unsuitable conditions, with little or no pay.
“This was the first successful prosecution for child labour exploitation and child trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act and was a direct result of police forces working together, in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service.
“We need to remember the human impact of these crimes. The victims have had traumatic childhoods and travelled to this country in search of a better life. We cannot allow traffickers to find any safe haven in this country.
“One of the tragic elements of this investigation is the victims’ relationship with their traffickers. They didn’t see themselves as victims, which shows the extent of the control being exerted over them.”
DC Celia White said: “It’s a sad fact that modern slavery victims are living and working in plain sight in villages, towns and cities across the country right now.
“Public awareness of this crime is increasing but I hope people watching this documentary will be shocked at the impact these offences can have on the victims – and will want to help us tackle this crime.
“We need the public to be our eyes and ears and look out for the signs exhibited by trafficking victims, who could be working at car washes, nail bars, in the construction industry or people’s homes, carrying out domestic chores.
“In the case of nail bars, warning signs could be very young looking members of staff, low prices, a rapid turnover of staff or controlling behaviour by senior employees. If you have any suspicions, please speak out.”
Thu Huong Nguyen, known as Jenny, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment earlier this year
Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said: “It is hard to imagine that in this day and age slavery still exists however the sad truth is that it does. It’s important that we continue to fight to eradicate human trafficking and exploitation for good.
“The change in legislation was a crucial step forward and this documentary shows you just what it is like for the police and the prosecution services to being offenders to justice and to support vulnerable victims.
“In Avon and Somerset, we’re incredibly fortunate to have some fantastic charities, like Unseen, as well as partner organisations and individuals who work hard to tackle this issue and support victims.
“Modern slavery cannot be tackled in isolation, which is why we all have a role to play in being a louder voice for those who are trafficked and exploited.”
If you have suspicions about modern slavery happening near you, call the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
The nail salon on Westgate Street in Bath has been under new management for over a year.
1 Comment
Tanmy
Thursday 9th August, 2018 at 22:26I am so sorry to say, but this is absolute rubbish!! I am a british born Vietnamese person and I can tell you with absolute certainty that these girls have not be “trafficked” to become slaves. They and their families have all paid smugglers to come to the UK. Or have overstayed student visas. They are non existent in the UK data base and are working at these nail bars of their own free will. Being PAID cash in hand!! But when they are caught by immigration officials and subsequently questioned, they quote that they are not being paid, that they are underage…. this is to avoid being sent to detention centres and being deported/trying to play the system to be granted asylum. The case above was literally built on a series of bad events where the employers had broken the law by employing illegal staff, paying cash in hand and hence evading tax. In an attempt to cover up this act of illegal employment, the employers have stated that the girls are not paid. And so…. have shot themselves in the foot. This is a well known tactic among the Vietnamese-in the event of an immigration crack down, deny that “staff” are actually employed. They’re either still in “training” or “helping out”-no payment changing hands. Also by stashing untaxed cash in stuffed animals, have provided more “evidence”. I just watched the BBC2 programme about this case and it made my blood boil! The shop owners should have been charged/penalised for tax evasion and employing illegal immigrants. And the girls should have had their ages proven by dental records or some other way… and been deported. Why do they think the girls were so reluctant to give evidence? Why did they run away from the foster families they were placed in? They are all in their 20’s at least and appear younger because Vietnamese people are slight and slender and can look quite youthful. They lie about their age and their circumstances! They are NOT going to admit to paying smugglers to arrive in the country and being paid cash in hand for work. Many of them live with their employers in cities outside of London because this is part of the “perks” of working outside of the capital, no rent to pay. By throwing in accomodation, this is often the only way employers can find staff willing to to travel so far out of London (where there is a large Vietnamese community). The system is a shambles and the sheer incompetence/ignorance/naivety of those investigating is purely frustrating!