Further arrest and licence suspension in GLA’s Cambridgeshire investigation
21 October 2013
Police have made a 10th arrest and a third company has had its licence suspended as a joint investigation between the police and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) in East Anglia continues.
Mon, 21 Oct 2013Police have made a 10th arrest and a third company has had its licence suspended as a joint investigation between the police and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) in East Anglia continues.
This comes after the arrest of nine people and the suspension of two recruitment firms' licences last week, as part of the Operation Endeavour inquiry into the exploitation of migrant workers, mainly from Lithuania and Latvia, in the Wisbech area.
A 35-year-old from King’s Lynn was arrested Friday morning (18 October) in Wisbech on suspicion of acting as an unlicensed gangmaster.
March-based agency MAS Recruitment has had its licence suspended with immediate effect.
Friday also saw Ivars Mezals, 27, of Wisbech, appear at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on charges of acting as an unlicensed gangmaster, blackmail and fraud by false representation. He was remanded to reappear on 25 October.
The remaining eight people arrested as part of Operation Endeavour raids on Tuesday have been questioned and released on bail pending further enquiries.
Operation Endeavour also saw around 80 individuals removed from accommodation to what the GLA calls a “temporary reception centre” where they were given assistance by Fenland District Council, the Red Cross and Salvation Army in finding alternative employment and accommodation. The reception centre is now closed.
Last week, a GLA spokesperson told recruiter.co.uk that the organisation is involved in 80 ongoing criminal investigations and similar operations have taken place in Kent, Derby, Scunthorpe and Norwich so far this year.
This comes after the arrest of nine people and the suspension of two recruitment firms' licences last week, as part of the Operation Endeavour inquiry into the exploitation of migrant workers, mainly from Lithuania and Latvia, in the Wisbech area.
A 35-year-old from King’s Lynn was arrested Friday morning (18 October) in Wisbech on suspicion of acting as an unlicensed gangmaster.
March-based agency MAS Recruitment has had its licence suspended with immediate effect.
Friday also saw Ivars Mezals, 27, of Wisbech, appear at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on charges of acting as an unlicensed gangmaster, blackmail and fraud by false representation. He was remanded to reappear on 25 October.
The remaining eight people arrested as part of Operation Endeavour raids on Tuesday have been questioned and released on bail pending further enquiries.
Operation Endeavour also saw around 80 individuals removed from accommodation to what the GLA calls a “temporary reception centre” where they were given assistance by Fenland District Council, the Red Cross and Salvation Army in finding alternative employment and accommodation. The reception centre is now closed.
Last week, a GLA spokesperson told recruiter.co.uk that the organisation is involved in 80 ongoing criminal investigations and similar operations have taken place in Kent, Derby, Scunthorpe and Norwich so far this year.
