POLICE have arrested four people in the North-East in a national operation tackling human trafficking.

At 5.50am this morning (Tuesday, April 21) officers from Northumbria Police and the North East Regional Special Operations Unit (NERSOU) executed search warrants at five addresses in Canning Street, Hugh Gardens and Brighton Grove, all in Newcastle.

Three Slovakian men, aged 30, 36 and 19, and a Slovakian woman of 55 were detained on suspicion of trafficking people into the UK for exploitation. They are currently in custody.

The searches were carried out with Newcastle City Council, HMRC, DWP, immigration enforcement, the Gangmasters Licensing Authority and the Red Cross.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) is running a UK-wide operation to identify and arrest people traffickers.

Northumbria Police Assistant Chief Constable Winton Keenen said: "This operation is a coordinated response to intelligence passed to the UK by Slovakian authorities regarding a labour exploitation network.

"Intelligence indicates that a significant number of Slovakian nationals have been trafficked to the UK and exploited, working for very little money and being controlled by individuals in the UK.

"It is a criminal offence to traffic people into the UK and it is an offence to force people, by threats or coercion, to work unpaid or to pay off a debt.

"Today's operation is all about protecting vulnerable people and the victims that we have identified today have been taken to places of safety and will be supported by ourselves and partner agencies.

“Officers will be out on patrol today in the west end of Newcastle to speak to residents and local businesses to tell them about today’s operation and provide reassurance.

"If anyone has any information into human trafficking then I'd urge them to come forward and speak to police.

“This activity shows how seriously we take the issue and that we will take action when and where it is needed."

Caroline Young, Deputy Director of the National Crime Agency’s Organised Crime Command, said close working relationships were helping the authorities tackle crime groups.

“We will continue to work together, sharing intelligence and knowledge to hold offenders to account and safeguard victims”.

Anyone with any information about trafficking can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

People can also call the Salvation Army’s human trafficking helpline on 0300 303 8151.