The Metropolitan Police may shut its specialist unit to tackle human trafficking because of lack of funding. http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2009/10/met_may_shut_do
http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/london_considers_axing_human_trafficking_police_unit
This the second time that the unit has been threatened with closure due to funding issues; last time, it was given a reprieve.
This highly successful unit is a role model for other police forces fighting human trafficking around the world. Their most recent success was reported on the 23rd October in The London Evening Standard – http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-14491017-police-smash-human-trafficking-gang.do#
Detectives from the Operation Maxim task force, which targets “slave-master” gangs, swooped on business and residential addresses in south London and Surrey, smashing a multi-million-pound illegal immigration and human trafficking racket.
The good news so far is that a list of leading charities including Amnesty, the NSPCC, the Poppy Project and End Child Prostitution and Trafficking have signed a letter urging the Met to keep this unit.
They said:
“Human trafficking is a complex, sensitive issue. Given the continually evolving nature of the crime, it has taken the Human Trafficking Team and Non-Governmental Organizations working in the field a number of years to develop their expertise in the area. Policing trafficking for forced labour, domestic servitude and all other forms of exploitation requires specialist knowledge and understanding of trafficking, dedicated resources and commitment.”
The charities also warn that when London plays host to the 2012 Olympics it could become even more of a magnet for the traffickers because experience shows that where large number of people gather there is an increased demand for sexual services.
But the activity of the charities alone may not guarantee that the unit will not be closed. They need your support……………….
MEP Mary Honeyball http://thehoneyballbuzz.com/contact/ is campaigning against the closure and has started a petition. Please help by adding your voice to the protest by signing that petition here – http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/specialtraffickingunit/index.html
also let me have your views right here on the blog……
Thank you, john stack
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Johnstacksanders's Blog 
thank you for your support it is much appreciated.
no problem Mary…
of the 400 people I invited by e-mail to sign, 57 have done so already…..
http://humantrafficking.change.org/actions/view/help_stop_the_closure_of_londons_specialist_human_trafficking_unit
Update on the petition – in the last 7 days,101 people have signed…..
http://humantrafficking.change.org/actions/view/help_stop_the_closure_of_londons_specialist_human_trafficking_unit
john stack
The Metropolitan Police are no help to Ireland, or any other EU country. The Poppy Project are a tiny circle of friends and they are given all the money, what they are not are experts re: sex trafficking or policing.
A pimp presented the prostitution motion at the Amnesty UK annual conference in Nottingham 2008. The same sex business entrepreneur is currently campaigning against Clause 13 (Part 2) of the Policing and Crime Bill.
I don’t see any credibility in your list, the NSPCC, they are all the same, it is just money.
An interesting point of view Sepian and duly noted.
But may I point out the following:
–The Met police are not tasked with helping Ireland. What this particular division of the Met has been very successful at is helping the victims of human trafficking in London. Which is one of the very good reasons not to close them down.
–The Poppy Project may or may not be friends; they may or may not have “all” the money. That is not the point. The point is that they are putting their political clout behind trying to prevent this closure. That’s the point.
–Regarding a pimp presenting at Amnesty – whilst very interesting, I fail to see what that has to do with closing the human trafficking special unit. Was his presentation on that subject?
However, outwith the above, many thanks for your insight on the subject…..