Serious Organised Crime Agency United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre Liam Vernon 6

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June 2013

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What does the UKHTC do?

Victims

A competent Authority for NRM; partnership engagement on protection and safeguarding.

Administers the UK National Referral Mechanism for victims.

Provides analysis on victims (SOCA web-site).

Tactical/Operational Advisors

Provide advice in pre planned operations or “live” advice in retrospective investigations to aid the disruption/prosecution of identified offenders and victim centred approach.

Develops and shares best practice; advice available 24/7/365

Intelligence collection & analysis

Acts as the central repository for intelligence relating to trafficking; develops assessments for partners (SOCA web-site).

Develops intelligence for law enforcement to disrupt/ prosecute offenders.

Partnership working

A co-ordinated multi-agency approach to tackle the problem within the UK and Internationally, across law enforcement, government, third sector, civil society, private sector and media.

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Current Victim Trends - UK

Nigeria

– mostly females for sex exploitation and girls for domestic servitude

Vietnam

– boys for labour exploitation and females for sex exploitation

China

– Adult labour exploitation and adult female sex exploitation

Albania –

females for sexual exploitation

Romania

–men for labour, children for labour and women for sex exploitation

Poland

- men for labour, children for criminal exploitation

Lithuania

– men for labour

Czech Rep

- men for labour, women for sex

Slovakia

– men for labour, children for criminal exploitation

Hungary

- men for labour

UK

– girls for sexual exploitation and men for labour Copyright SOCA NPM

National Referral Mechanism

• • • • Council of Europe Convention obligation from April 2009 EU directive in April 2013 The UK has adopted a National Referral Mechanism to help identify potential victims and provide a recovery and reflection period.

UK has two ‘Competent Authorities’, with trained case owners who make decisions on whether someone is a victim of trafficking.

      UKHTC - for UK / EU Nationals and persons legally in the UK Home Office - for any person with immigration or asylum case 710 referrals in 2010 946 in 2011, a 35% increase 1186 in 2012, a 25% increase 650 so far in 2013, a 48% year to date increase Copyright SOCA NPM

UK response to Human Trafficking

• • • • • • • • • UK strategy in 2011 *upstream, borders, victims and UK coordination UK OC strategy in 2011 *HT is a significant organised crime threat to UK and a multi-agency board exists to coordinate activities to tackle it New victim care arrangements in England & Wales in 2011 Inter-departmental Ministerial Group established for oversight and governance; 2012 IDMG report published Strategic groups and focussed work groups support IDMG EU Directive in UK legislation from April 2013 UK chair a EU operational action plan group on Human Trafficking SOCA oversee UK organised crime group mapping NCA will establish strategic governance group for OC from October © Copyright SOCA

EMPACT operational action plans (1)

• In November 2010, Justice and Home Affairs Council established an EU model to coordinate strategic and operational planning against priority crime threats over a 7 year cycle • EU have set 8 crime priorities, each currently in a pilot phase with full action plans to be implemented for 2013-2017 • Referred to as EMPACT (European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats) • THB is one threat, with UK as the ‘driver’ and Netherlands as ‘co driver’ Copyright SOCA NPM

EMPACT operational action plans (2)

It’s key features are: • Intelligence-led and targeted approach to crime control • Focus on the identification, analysis and ‘management’ of persisting and developing ‘problems’ or ‘risks’ • Partnership approach across MS, EU agencies, 3 rd countries and public/ private • Proactive and reactive measures • Influencing by using measures of a preventative and a repressive nature • 4 year Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) adopted by COSI • MS and EU agencies convert this into a Operational Action Plan for each priority • EU Serious Organised Crime Threat assessment (SOCTA) to be developed annually by Europol to identify the threats Copyright SOCA NPM

Europol SOCTA 2013

• • • • Nine key SOC threats proposed THB is a recommended priority OCG’s involved in the trafficking of EU and non-EU victims within the EU THB for labour exploitation a recognised increased threat • • • • • SOCTA will inform COSI EU Policy Cycle 2013-2017 COSI will develop strategic objectives and MASP This will inform the 2014 operational action plan Europol Focal Point Phoenix and analysis of intelligence is key Joint investigation through Eurojust is key © Copyright SOCA

THB operational action plan (1)

• Targeting OCG’s in particular at Southern, SW and SE hubs in EU • 20 MS, Europol, Eurojust, EEAS, CEPOL, Interpol, EU Commission • Pilot OAP in 2012, developed OAP for 2013 and agreed by COSI with 8 strategic goals 1. MS proactively contribute to/ benefit from Europol strategic and tactical intelligence picture 2. Establish a tasking & coordinating mechanism to prioritise joint investigations, particularly in the hubs 3. Increase the number of joint investigations and prosecutions 4. Each MS to have a Prevention strategy on THB Copyright SOCA NPM

EMPACT THB operational action plan (2)

5. Improve early detection, including ICT; support and protect victims, especially children; ensure effective NRM 6. Use innovative, proactive approaches of investigation, including financial and use of ICT 7. Increase cooperation with key non-EU source and transit 8.

countries, those identified by OCTA and other assessments Identify and target OCG’s involved in child trafficking in all its forms Copyright SOCA NPM

EMPACT THB 2012

279 new cases and 2240 data contributions were received and accepted by FP Phoenix (to November).

• Out of these, 185 cases and 853 contributions were provided by the MS under the EMPACT project - Suspects arrested: 54 - Victims identified: 160 292 contributions were received under one single case during the Common Day of Action which took place on 25/10/12 in the framework of the sub project ETUTU In total, the number of contributions received and accepted by the work file during the period reported increased with 100% compared to the figures (1129 data contributions) of the same period last year © Copyright SOCA

EMPACT THB 2013

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

147 new cases reported to FP Phoenix.

58 attributed to EMPACT.

14 high profile investigations supported by FPP.

706 intelligence reports to FPP.

379 attributed to EMPACT.

Increased MS membership.

Project ETUTU meeting – Nigerian OCG’s Project ‘Big wall’ proposal – Chinese OCG’s 9.

Improved strategic products to inform EMPACT group 10. CEPOL training and common curriculum update 11. Strong links to Eurojust action plan and EU Strategy © Copyright SOCA