Closure of Human Trafficking Team disgraceful says MEP.

4.37.00pm GMT Mon 10th Nov 2008

Liz Lynne, the LibDem MEP and long time anti- human trafficking campaigner, has today sharply criticised the Home Office's decision to close the Metropolitan Police's Human Trafficking Unit as part of budget cuts.

The closure of the UK's largest Human Trafficking unit comes as part of larger cuts that will see money spent on human trafficking slashed from £4 million to only £1.7 million.

The unit was set up in March 2007 in order to target gangs who bring women to the UK and force them to work in prostitution or domestic servitude.

The United Nations estimates that between 700,000 and 2 million women and children are trafficked around the world each year and also between 1000 and 4000 are trafficked into the United Kingdom alone.

Speaking today Liz, who was Shadow rapporteur for the European Parliament's report on human trafficking in 2007 and who also launched 'Business Travelers Against Human Trafficking' said today that the Home Office decision was outrageous:

"The decision to close the Metropolitan Police's Human Trafficking Unit makes it clear that the Home Office do not view the horrendous treatment of women and children as a priority.

"The potential of the unit to make a serious impact on the gangs who seek to make money by trafficking human beings was huge and yet all the time and effort that went into making the unit successful has now been wasted.

"The unit has been very successful in the West Midlands, with a number of arrests made by its officers. The decision to shut it down will make the policing of both human trafficking and the related crimes such as forced prostitution far more difficult within the region.

"I believe that this decision will leave a vital area of criminal policing without a clear direction and that ultimately it will allow those gangs who have been brought down to regroup and redouble their despicable practices."

ENDS