Three men held in slavery inquiry

Police said that men aged 53, 38 and 20 have been arrested on suspicion of slavery and servitude offences
25 September 2013

Three more suspects have been arrested in connection with allegations of slavery and a third alleged victim has been recovered from one of the sites being searched by detectives.

Officers from Gwent Police confirmed they went to an address in St Brides, Newport, and found a 60-year-old British man. He is being assessed by specialist Red Cross staff.

A spokesman added that men aged 53, 38 and 20 have been arrested on suspicion of slavery and servitude offences.

The arrests came two days after a Polish man was recovered from a farm in nearby Peterstone, Newport.

Earlier this year, a Kidderminster man was found at the same site in Peterstone after going missing 13 years ago while on holiday in the South Wales resort of Porthcawl.

Detective Superintendent Paul Griffiths said: "This is a fast-moving and complicated investigation and we are grateful to the public for the continued assistance and support they have shown so far. I'm still appealing for anyone with any information to contact us on 101 quoting log 66 23/09/13.

"Alternatively if anyone has information and would rather not pass this directly to the police then I would urge them to contact Crimestoppers, which is independent of the police and guarantees complete anonymity, on 0800 555 111. They don't need to give their name and the police will never know who they are. Any information given would be passed to the team in complete confidence."

The number of people arrested as part of the investigation - named Operation Imperial - stands at seven. A 66-year-old man and a 42-year-old man, both from the Marshfield area, a 36-year-old man from Cardiff and a 42-year-old woman from Penhow, Monmouthshire, were arrested on Monday. They remain in custody, say police.

Officers began their inquiries earlier in the year after a "vulnerable" missing man was found living in poor conditions on Cariad Farm in Peterstone, which has been described in a Newport Council document as gypsy and traveller family-owned accommodation.

Darrell Simester, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, disappeared while on a holiday in Porthcawl 13 years ago. He was found with torn clothes and teeth missing. It has been reported the 43-year-old told police he was forced to work 12 hours a day and was too scared to try to escape.

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