UTV joins police on human trafficking operation as three people are arrested

Rush hour had just hit south Belfast when my camera operator and I joined the PSNI on an operation targeting a specific criminal gang.

We were about to witness a police sting as officers prepared to knock on the door of a property just off the Lisburn Road.

It is a property detectives believe to be a brothel. An unsuspecting terraced house in the middle of a street. A street where both old and young people live.

At around 9am, officers approached the front door, rapped several times and waited patiently for someone to answer.

After a few minutes - officers gained access. More followed behind as others guarded the front door as curious residents began to look out to see what was happening.

This sting was part of Operation Insoul - an investigation which started in June 2022 when the first victim of an alleged criminal exploitation gang approached police.

After around 20 minutes, a 35-year-old Romanian woman was escorted into a waiting police car and driven into custody.

Across the city, two other men, who are 29 and 36, were also arrested on suspicion of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, controlling prostitution for gain, brothel keeping and money laundering.

Police believe that the suspects arrested have been involved in attracting vulnerable Romanian women from their home country and promising them work in a major retailer.

Little do the women know, who are all aged in their 20s, that they are being recruited for sex.

Detective Inspector Rachel Miskelly has been involved in Operation Insoul.

"So far, six victims have been identified, some of whom are already engaging with us and receiving support," she said.

"Crime groups involved in human trafficking seek to identify, groom and exploit individuals, particularly those who are in any way vulnerable.

"Indeed, the victims linked to this investigation, who all come from one area in Romania, had previously experienced some form of hardship, such as adverse childhood experiences and physical abuse.

"These young women have been treated appallingly.

"They have been forced to engage in sexual activity, and the money made at their expense lines the pockets of the crime group members.

"While the brothels linked to this group were located in Greater Belfast and Newtownabbey, we know the victims have been transported to various locations throughout the country for the purpose of sexual exploitation."

All six victims, police believe, were trafficked through Dublin. As well as working collaboratively with authorities in Romania, the PSNI has worked with colleague in An Garda Síochána in the Republic of Ireland.

"All of the victims that we have identified, from our knowledge to date, all were brought in via Dublin, over the border into Northern Ireland, and then trafficked throughout Northern Ireland," DI Miskelly added.

Police see these arrests as a step in an attempt to stop international human trafficking reaching these shores. However with other human trafficking stings taking place in Northern Ireland recently including in Co Down, this may just be the tip of the iceberg.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.