Thirteen people have now been charged in connection with Operation Ruby, a multi-agency investigation into human trafficking, led by the East Midlands Foreign National Crime team within Northamptonshire Police and the UK Border Agency.

The operation is also supported by the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC), the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority (GLA).

Offences involve the trafficking of people to and within the UK from Slovakia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

It is also alleged that monies totalling up to £10m have been laundered through various companies set up to conceal this activity. The charged individuals are due to appear at Wellingborough magistrates court in Northamptonshire on 15 and 22 December and include:

· A 50-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman from Kettering, Northamptonshire

· Four Indian men, aged 51, 29, 26 and 23  from Kettering, Northamptonshire

· A 49-year-old man from Coventry in the West Midlands and two men – aged 49 and 42 – from Wolverhampton, West Midlands

· Two Polish men, aged 32 and 30, from Coventry and a 25-year-old Polish woman from Birmingham

· A 27-year-old Portuguese man from Spalding in Lincolnshire

Last November under Operation Ruby, three men were arrested in South Lincolnshire following an investigation by the East Midlands Foreign National Crime Team, UK Human Trafficking Centre, UK Borders Agency, Serious Organised Crime Agency and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) and Northamptonshire Police.

Over 60 Eastern European migrant workers, who were picking leeks in a field as part of an organised gang, were being treated as potential witnesses and victims.

A spokesperson for the GLA told Recruiter: “The joint working between all agencies on this operation has been exemplary. Our main concern was for the 60 men and women, supplied to pick leeks, who were treated as witnesses and victims and any gangmaster issues surrounding this. Other agencies focused on their own specialist areas and this has resulted in the charges and the forthcoming court case.

“We will await the outcome of the court case before commenting further.”