Tackling human trafficking and exploitation in the Highlands

COSLA has today (Friday 18 October) unveiled human trafficking guidance for Scottish local authorities and The Highland Council has taken this opportunity to confirm its commitment to tackle trafficking and exploitation.  

Mark McGinty, The Highland Council’s Trading Standards Team Leader, said: “Sadly human trafficking is something Trading Standards Officers have to be aware of on a day to day basis.  Enquiries and complaints received about bogus workmen and rogue traders are particularly high on the list of potential situations where we have to be very aware of those that we encounter.  It is well documented throughout the country that the workmen involved in exterior home maintenance works may well be trafficked. 

“Only earlier this year there was an incident in Inverness where concerns were raised regarding four workmen involved in laying a driveway.  The men were foreign nationals, could not speak English, carried very little ID and a search of the vehicle which transported them to the job revealed a number of tents and sleeping bags which the men signalled where theirs.  The situation did not look like the average work squad going about its business.”

He added: “We work very closely with our partners at Police Scotland in tackling doorstep crime, and part of that involves having to deal with suspected human trafficking and exploitation.  Trading Standards urge members of the public to really think twice when there is a knock at the door and you are offered exterior home maintenance works, the works may not be of any quality, the price may not be as first indicated, and those involved may be criminals profiteering from forced labour.”