1. Serious Organised Crime Agency
United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre
Liam Vernon 6th June 2013
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2. What does the UKHTC do? Victims
A competent Authority for NRM; partnership engagement on protection and safeguarding.
Administers the UK National Referral Mechanism for victims.
Provides analysis on victims (SOCA web-site).
Tactical/Operational Advisors
Provide advice in pre-planned operations or “live” advice in retrospective investigations to aid the disruption/prosecution of identified offenders and victim centred approach.
Develops and shares best practice; advice available 24/7/365
Intelligence collection & analysis
Acts as the central repository for intelligence relating to trafficking; develops assessments for partners (SOCA web-site).
Develops intelligence for law enforcement to disrupt/ prosecute offenders.
Partnership working
A co-ordinated multi-agency approach to tackle the problem within the UK and Internationally, across law enforcement, government, third sector, civil society, private sector and media.
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3. Current Victim Trends - UK
Nigeria – mostly females for sex exploitation and girls for domestic servitude
Vietnam – boys for labour exploitation and females for sex exploitation
China – Adult labour exploitation and adult female sex exploitation
Albania – females for sexual exploitation Romania –men for labour, children for labour and women for sex exploitation
Poland - men for labour, children for criminal exploitation
Lithuania – men for labour
Czech Rep - men for labour, women for sex Slovakia – men for labour, children for criminal exploitation Hungary - men for labour
UK – girls for sexual exploitation and men for labour
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4. National Referral Mechanism
Council of Europe Convention obligation from April 2009
EU directive in April 2013
The UK has adopted a National Referral Mechanism to help identify potential victims and provide a recovery and reflection period.
UK has two ‘Competent Authorities’, with trained case owners who make decisions on whether someone is a victim of trafficking.
UKHTC - for UK / EU Nationals and persons legally in the UK
Home Office - for any person with immigration or asylum case
710 referrals in 2010
946 in 2011, a 35% increase
1186 in 2012, a 25% increase
650 so far in 2013, a 48% year to date increase
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5. UK response to Human Trafficking
UK strategy in 2011 *upstream, borders, victims and UK coordination
UK OC strategy in 2011 *HT is a significant organised crime threat to UK and a multi-agency board exists to coordinate activities to tackle it
New victim care arrangements in England & Wales in 2011
Inter-departmental Ministerial Group established for oversight and governance; 2012 IDMG report published
Strategic groups and focussed work groups support IDMG
EU Directive in UK legislation from April 2013
UK chair a EU operational action plan group on Human Trafficking
SOCA oversee UK organised crime group mapping
NCA will establish strategic governance group for OC from October
Tactical Advisors
Provide a proactive and reactive response to support law enforcement agencies
Development of organisational knowledge including the provision of tactical advice
Provide specialist advice and knowledge in relation to all areas of investigation, evidence gathering and collation - legislation
Represent the UKHTC with partner agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution,
Contribute to strategic and tactical planning.
On-call service
Prevention and Awareness
Blue Blindfold Campaign
International campaign of UKHTC which is committed to stopping trafficking, fostering partnerships to protect victims and prosecuting offenders
Designed to
encourage law enforcement, front line professionals and public to open their eyes to human trafficking
Raise awareness, provide training and encourage information sharing worldwide
Support victims
Chairs the prevention group, which consists of Law enforcement and NGOs and seeks to use the capabilities of all members to disrupt and prevent the activities involved in THB.
My Dangerous Lover boy
Internal trafficking of UK minors
DVD and resource pack aimed at teachers and parents and carers.
Trafficking can happen to those living in the UK
Promote awareness about the process of grooming, sexual exploitation and trafficking for sexual exploitation
Help young people consider issues around child sexual exploitation and trafficking, and identify strategies to keep safe.
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6. EMPACT operational action plans (1)
In November 2010, Justice and Home Affairs Council established an EU model to coordinate strategic and operational planning against priority crime threats over a 7 year cycle
EU have set 8 crime priorities, each currently in a pilot phase with full action plans to be implemented for
Referred to as EMPACT (European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats)
THB is one threat, with UK as the ‘driver’ and Netherlands as ‘co-driver’
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7. EMPACT operational action plans (2)
It’s key features are:
Intelligence-led and targeted approach to crime control
Focus on the identification, analysis and ‘management’ of persisting and developing ‘problems’ or ‘risks’
Partnership approach across MS, EU agencies, 3rd countries and public/ private
Proactive and reactive measures
Influencing by using measures of a preventative and a repressive nature
4 year Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) adopted by COSI
MS and EU agencies convert this into a Operational Action Plan for each priority
EU Serious Organised Crime Threat assessment (SOCTA) to be developed annually by Europol to identify the threats
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8. Europol SOCTA 2013 Nine key SOC threats proposed
THB is a recommended priority
OCG’s involved in the trafficking of EU and non-EU victims within the EU
THB for labour exploitation a recognised increased threat
SOCTA will inform COSI EU Policy Cycle
COSI will develop strategic objectives and MASP
This will inform the 2014 operational action plan
Europol Focal Point Phoenix and analysis of intelligence is key
Joint investigation through Eurojust is key
Tactical Advisors
Provide a proactive and reactive response to support law enforcement agencies
Development of organisational knowledge including the provision of tactical advice
Provide specialist advice and knowledge in relation to all areas of investigation, evidence gathering and collation - legislation
Represent the UKHTC with partner agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution,
Contribute to strategic and tactical planning.
On-call service
Prevention and Awareness
Blue Blindfold Campaign
International campaign of UKHTC which is committed to stopping trafficking, fostering partnerships to protect victims and prosecuting offenders
Designed to
encourage law enforcement, front line professionals and public to open their eyes to human trafficking
Raise awareness, provide training and encourage information sharing worldwide
Support victims
Chairs the prevention group, which consists of Law enforcement and NGOs and seeks to use the capabilities of all members to disrupt and prevent the activities involved in THB.
My Dangerous Lover boy
Internal trafficking of UK minors
DVD and resource pack aimed at teachers and parents and carers.
Trafficking can happen to those living in the UK
Promote awareness about the process of grooming, sexual exploitation and trafficking for sexual exploitation
Help young people consider issues around child sexual exploitation and trafficking, and identify strategies to keep safe.
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9. THB operational action plan (1)
Targeting OCG’s in particular at Southern, SW and SE hubs in EU
20 MS, Europol, Eurojust, EEAS, CEPOL, Interpol, EU Commission
Pilot OAP in 2012, developed OAP for 2013 and agreed by COSI with 8 strategic goals
MS proactively contribute to/ benefit from Europol strategic and tactical intelligence picture
Establish a tasking & coordinating mechanism to prioritise joint investigations, particularly in the hubs
Increase the number of joint investigations and prosecutions
Each MS to have a Prevention strategy on THB
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10. EMPACT THB operational action plan (2)
Improve early detection, including ICT; support and protect victims, especially children; ensure effective NRM
Use innovative, proactive approaches of investigation, including financial and use of ICT
Increase cooperation with key non-EU source and transit countries, those identified by OCTA and other assessments
Identify and target OCG’s involved in child trafficking in all its forms
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11. EMPACT THB 2012
279 new cases and 2240 data contributions were received and accepted by FP Phoenix (to November).
Out of these, 185 cases and 853 contributions were provided by the MS under the EMPACT project
- Suspects arrested: 54 - Victims identified: 160
292 contributions were received under one single case during the Common Day of Action which took place on 25/10/12 in the framework of the sub-project ETUTU
In total, the number of contributions received and accepted by the work file during the period reported increased with 100% compared to the figures (1129 data contributions) of the same period last year
Tactical Advisors
Provide a proactive and reactive response to support law enforcement agencies
Development of organisational knowledge including the provision of tactical advice
Provide specialist advice and knowledge in relation to all areas of investigation, evidence gathering and collation - legislation
Represent the UKHTC with partner agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution,
Contribute to strategic and tactical planning.
On-call service
Prevention and Awareness
Blue Blindfold Campaign
International campaign of UKHTC which is committed to stopping trafficking, fostering partnerships to protect victims and prosecuting offenders
Designed to
encourage law enforcement, front line professionals and public to open their eyes to human trafficking
Raise awareness, provide training and encourage information sharing worldwide
Support victims
Chairs the prevention group, which consists of Law enforcement and NGOs and seeks to use the capabilities of all members to disrupt and prevent the activities involved in THB.
My Dangerous Lover boy
Internal trafficking of UK minors
DVD and resource pack aimed at teachers and parents and carers.
Trafficking can happen to those living in the UK
Promote awareness about the process of grooming, sexual exploitation and trafficking for sexual exploitation
Help young people consider issues around child sexual exploitation and trafficking, and identify strategies to keep safe.
© Copyright SOCA
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12. EMPACT THB 2013 147 new cases reported to FP Phoenix.
58 attributed to EMPACT.
14 high profile investigations supported by FPP.
706 intelligence reports to FPP.
379 attributed to EMPACT.
Increased MS membership.
Project ETUTU meeting – Nigerian OCG’s
Project ‘Big wall’ proposal – Chinese OCG’s
Improved strategic products to inform EMPACT group
CEPOL training and common curriculum update
Strong links to Eurojust action plan and EU Strategy
Tactical Advisors
Provide a proactive and reactive response to support law enforcement agencies
Development of organisational knowledge including the provision of tactical advice
Provide specialist advice and knowledge in relation to all areas of investigation, evidence gathering and collation - legislation
Represent the UKHTC with partner agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution,
Contribute to strategic and tactical planning.
On-call service
Prevention and Awareness
Blue Blindfold Campaign
International campaign of UKHTC which is committed to stopping trafficking, fostering partnerships to protect victims and prosecuting offenders
Designed to
encourage law enforcement, front line professionals and public to open their eyes to human trafficking
Raise awareness, provide training and encourage information sharing worldwide
Support victims
Chairs the prevention group, which consists of Law enforcement and NGOs and seeks to use the capabilities of all members to disrupt and prevent the activities involved in THB.
My Dangerous Lover boy
Internal trafficking of UK minors
DVD and resource pack aimed at teachers and parents and carers.
Trafficking can happen to those living in the UK
Promote awareness about the process of grooming, sexual exploitation and trafficking for sexual exploitation
Help young people consider issues around child sexual exploitation and trafficking, and identify strategies to keep safe.
© Copyright SOCA
Copyright SOCA
Copyright SOCA
PROTECTIVE MARKING
NPM