Photo:  Courtesy Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

The hidden crime of Modern Slavery is the focus of a new campaign to raise awareness by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council.  Home Office figures from 2014 estimated there were 10-13,000 slaves in the UK. The National Crime Agency has published data from its National Referral Mechanism which shows the number of potential victims of modern slavery and human trafficking in Surrey.  Data shows that in 2017 to 18 there were 67 referrals in Surrey made by official bodies, an increase from the previous year. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety, Councillor James Durrant explains the importance of the campaign:

Surrey Police are working in partnership with the Council to raise awareness of modern slavery.  DCI Mark Chapman tells of the signs to watch out for: