Human trafficking gets life term in drive on slavery
A maximum life sentence for the worst cases of human trafficking and exploitation is to be introduced. It comes after Home Secretary Theresa May said tougher sanctions would be brought in to tackle modern-day slavery earlier this year. The number of cases of human trafficking discovered in the UK has risen by 25% in the last year, according to new government figures. Trafficking from Albania, Poland and Lithuania has seen a big rise. Ministers are planning new legislation to simplify the law on slavery, and make it easier to bring prosecutions. Victims are often trafficked for sexual exploitation, construction work or begging gangs. A new report by the inter-departmental ministerial group on human trafficking has revealed that 1,186 victims were referred to the authorities in 2012, compared with 946 victims in 2011. The report revealed the largest number of victims of trafficking were from Nigeria, Vietnam, Albania, Romania and China. Forced begging There has been a 300% incre...