MORE than 140 potential victims of modern day slavery have been rescued by West Yorkshire Police so far this year, it has been announced as the Force marked National Anti Slavery Day today.

Its officers have also used a new power designed to safeguard vulnerable people for the first time.

A series of operations have taken place across the county involving police, the Human Trafficking Unit and the Office of the Police Crime Commissioner, including in Bradford on September 25 and in Calderdale area on October 3.

A number of business premises thought to have links to human trafficking have been targeted so officers can speak to the employers and employees.

Business owners were reminded about their obligations under the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act, 2015 and the people working for them were reminded of their rights with checks made to ensure they were not the victim of trafficking.

As part of the operations two interim Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Orders were issued to people in the county. It is the first time the Force has used the power.

The orders, which are agreed by a magistrate, ban those served with them from communicating with named individuals identified as potential trafficking victims. They can also place restrictions on travel and where people live.

If those orders are breached then the potential punishment is up to five years in prison.

Detective Chief Inspector Warren Stevenson, who leads the West Yorkshire Human Trafficking Unit, said: “Modern day slavery is a crime many people don’t think exists – that it somehow only happened in a bygone era.

“But nothing could be further from the truth. It is happening and is potentially happening in your area.

“The operations we have already carried out were very successful in as much as they helped our officers to build a clearer picture of the crime and its impact in West Yorkshire.

“It also sent a very clear message to anyone thinking of trafficking victims that we are on to them.

“We also rescued potential victims and took people we suspect of trafficking them out of their lives.

“Human Trafficking can be a very difficult crime to investigate as victims rarely see themselves as a victim. As a Force we act on the intelligence we receive but then need time to speak to people about their ordeal and explain to them why they are a victim.

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner and national PCC lead, said: “Tackling human trafficking and modern slavery are a priority for me and West Yorkshire Police, it's an area I have invested heavily in for a number of years based on threat, harm and risk.

"This is fantastic work from West Yorkshire Police and our partners in continuing to disrupt and raise awareness of modern slavery and is quite timely given that we have just had 'Safeguarding Week'.

“Modern slavery robs its victims of their dignity, assets, freedom, health, a lot of things we all take for granted and as a given.

"It may seem an easy crime to overlook or not recognise, but I would ask everyone to think about the conditions and situations these human beings are being forced to live in and report anything suspicious as soon as possible."