One safeguarding referral was made after police monitored flights coming into Stansted Airport to identify potential human trafficking victims.

Essex Police worked with Border Force and the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit last week to make checks on flights coming into the Essex airport from countries where vulnerable people may have been trafficked.

Officers and partners also spoke to passengers at the airport to raise awareness of human trafficking.

Essex Police said the aim of the operation, which ran on Thursday, September 17 and Friday, September 18, was to safeguard victims of human trafficking and target the criminals who exploit them.

DC Mark Ghosh said: “Vulnerable people can be promised stable jobs and then be brought into the country and forced to work for little or no pay. They might also be forced into sex work against their wishes.

“It leaves them unable to break free from the debts they or their families have to pay to the criminals who made the arrangements and control every aspect of their lives.”

For more information on how to spot the signs of modern slavery, visit Essex Police’s website here.