A premises in Aberdeen were among those raided by police during an operation targeting an international crime gang suspected of human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation.
The operation led to 10 people in the UK being arrested in connection with offences related to serious and organised crime and human trafficking, while 14 suspects are currently being held by Romanian police.
None of the arrests were made in Aberdeen.
A number of potential trafficking victims were also recovered from addresses in both countries.
Officers from Police Scotland’s National Human Trafficking Unit, the National Crime Agency and the Romanian Police’s Directorate for Countering Organized Crime – Trafficking in Human Beings Department were deployed simultaneously in various locations in the early hours of this morning.
Police attended three premises in Glasgow, one in Aberdeen, five in Leicester, Coventry and Northampton, as well as 23 addresses across Romania.
Detective Inspector Adrian Wallis, who led the operation, said: “Today’s enforcement action was the result of a lengthy investigation, with Police Scotland working alongside our counterparts in Romania.
“The arrests made today are the result of working closely with our partners in the NCA and officers in Romania over the last 12 months, to identify those involved in this exploitation.
“The investigation isn’t over yet, however, today’s action should send a very clear message: trafficking won’t be tolerated in Scotland, and we will continue to work with partners, nationally and internationally, to identify those involved in slavery and exploitation and to bring them to justice.”
