Five convicted of modern slavery offences after large-scale Met investigation

[scutty brown]

Another one we missed

External Link/Members Only

A total of 134 women have been safeguarded and five people convicted of modern slavery offences as the result of a Metropolitan Police investigation.

Four men and one woman were arrested following a proactive operation in London and Essex last year, led by detectives from the Met's Central Specialist Crime Command.

During the Met’s investigation to bring these offenders to justice, specialist officers identified over 300 potential victims of trafficking, of which 134 women were safeguarded by the team.

After a 10-week trial at Isleworth Crown Court, the five defendants were convicted on Wednesday, 16 March, of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view of exploitation and conspiracy to control prostitution for gain.

They will be sentenced on at the same court on Friday, 27 May.

Acting Detective Inspector Esther Richardson, from Central Specialist Crime, said: “I am pleased we have been able to uncover the true scale of this illegal operation. My team worked tirelessly to identify and safeguard hundreds of other women across London who were being exploited by this organised criminal group.

“Unfortunately, this type of exploitation is still happening across London and the UK. The Met’s modern slavery team works around the clock to identify people involved in human trafficking and forced labour, and we play a role in protecting and supporting hundreds of victims each year.

"We need help from the public as they have an important role to play in recognising and reporting modern slavery. If you suspect someone may be a victim of modern slavery, report it. You will always be taken seriously and protection and support is available.

"Often those affected do not see themselves as potential victims of sexual exploitation and many will have been coerced into this life to make money for an organised crime network.

"We believe there are victims of modern slavery in every borough across London and the public may encounter them every day, possibly without realising. As well as being sexually exploited, victims have been found working in construction, domestic servitude, agriculture, cannabis factories and in places you use yourself, such as car washes, barbers and nail bars.

"Victims are often told the police and authorities in the UK are not to be trusted and with limited English are unable to seek help, even if they want to."

The five defendants are

Gregaor Borowka, 44 (17.06.77), of Yeading Avenue, Harrow;

Sebastian Zimoch, 48 (08.11.73), of Carlton Road, Romford;

Michael Lozinski, 52 (18.05.69), of Berwick Avenue, Hayes was also convicted of controlling prostitution for gain;

Rafal Lacki, 41 (01.10.80), of Felmongers, Harlow;

Anna Zimoch, 45 (21.01.77) of Carlton Road, Romford.

The court heard how Lozinski ran five brothels in west London and Zimoch ran two brothels in the Docklands and north west London.

The ‘business’ began in 2015 and the organised crime gang (OCG) was run by a husband and wife team, Sebastian and Anna Zimoch. They recruited women, employed a number of drivers and a receptionist. The defendants received significant financial gain through this degrading form of exploitation. In addition, Michael Lozinski branched out running his own brothel to maximise his illegal profits.

Lacki was one of the main drivers for the OCG along with Borowka, who also worked as a receptionist for Golden Kiss escort services. Both Borowka and Lacki were trusted members of the OCG.

During this time, one women aged 19 was sexually exploited and trafficked to clients addresses in the West End. On one occasion the victim was taken on a callout to Arab clients, around £3,000 was exchanged for her services for a whole night, with the victim being paid around two hundred pounds.

On another occasion the woman refused to perform sexual services with a client, following which she was refused food by one of the members of the OCG telling her that she did not deserve to eat.

In 2020 Lozinski and Zimoch ceased working together. Sebastian and Anna Zimoch ran an escort website called Golden Kiss, advertising girls for sex work. He, along with his drivers, drove the women to the clients. Borowka accompanied Zimoch during these call outs.

Specialist officers from the Met’s Central Specialist Crime began an investigation which began in April 2020.

On the morning of Tuesday, 9 February 2021 in Harrow, Romford, Hayes, Forest Gate and Harlow in Essex, officers executed five warrants. The defendants were all arrested at their home addresses, along with Lozinski whose home operated as a brothel.

[scutty brown]

Sentenced today
External Link/Members Only
External Link/Members Only
External Link/Members Only

they had seven brothels in "Harrow, Hayes, Forest Gate, Docklands and Harlow, Essex"

ran an agency "Golden Kiss"

had a massage parlour "Massage Bunnies"

[scutty brown]

Maybe coincidence, but this girl's profile was previously named "Golden Kiss"
External Link/Members Only or External Link/Members Only
https://www.ukpunting.com/index.php?action=serviceprovider;id=24735

and  was this massage bunnies?
https://www.ukpunting.com/index.php?topic=108740

[blend57]

"We need help from the public as they have an important role to play in recognising and reporting modern slavery. If you suspect someone may be a victim of modern slavery, report it. You will always be taken seriously and protection and support is available.

"Often those affected do not see themselves as potential victims of sexual exploitation and many will have been coerced into this life to make money for an organised crime network.

"We believe there are victims of modern slavery in every borough across London and the public may encounter them every day, possibly without realising. As well as being sexually exploited, victims have been found working in construction, domestic servitude, agriculture, cannabis factories and in places you use yourself, such as car washes, barbers and nail bars.

"Victims are often told the police and authorities in the UK are not to be trusted and with limited English are unable to seek help, even if they want to."

I have no idea how many people in London were born abroad but it must be in the millions. Plod is pretty much saying that any foreign born person that you encounter in London is a potential slave of some description.

And how much agriculture goes on in London?

Anyone have any ideas on how to spot a slave working at a car wash? Or on a construction site?

[lillythesavage]

Anyone have any ideas on how to spot a slave working at a car wash? Or on a construction site?

Not everyone is at all, my experience of the car wash is in Essex, Albanians who have become good friends, particularly of my eldest son, just guys and girls trying to make a living.
If the site has more storage than needed, maybe shipping containers or a building , then go early in the morning and see if life emerges from them.

Construction it is near impossible, gangmasters run it, deliver them to site under the guise of a labour agency. I doubt it happens much on big projects, but on smaller projects where health and safety working practices are not obvious, quite possibly.

[blend57]

Not everyone is at all, my experience of the car wash is in Essex, Albanians who have become good friends, particularly of my eldest son, just guys and girls trying to make a living.
If the site has more storage than needed, maybe shipping containers or a building , then go early in the morning and see if life emerges from them.

Construction it is near impossible, gangmasters run it, deliver them to site under the guise of a labour agency. I doubt it happens much on big projects, but on smaller projects where health and safety working practices are not obvious, quite possibly.

I suppose if you can talk to the workers and they seem happy then the likelihood is that the works are not slaves or being manipulated.

That said, you could apply the same logic to sex workers. If you can talk to them and they appear happy then the likelihood is that the sex worker is not a pimped trafficked sex slave. However, according to the anti-sex lobby this is just clever acting on the part of the sex worker and the reality is that all sex workers are abused trafficked sex slaves.

[lillythesavage]

I suppose if you can talk to the workers and they seem happy then the likelihood is that the works are not slaves or being manipulated.

That said, you could apply the same logic to sex workers. If you can talk to them and they appear happy then the likelihood is that the sex worker is not a pimped trafficked sex slave. However, according to the anti-sex lobby this is just clever acting on the part of the sex worker and the reality is that all sex workers are abused trafficked sex slaves.

I can guarantee you that you will never know from talking, unless you are the one chosen and trusted to take on the Authorities. Even then they will be closely watched and lie to the authorities, if that is accepted and not followed up, nothing happens unless you push the issue or get lucky with those good at their job.

Not a clever act either, an act yes, born from fear.

[PumpDump]

"and Anna Zimoch was suspended for two years and ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work"

As usual the woman gets off and the men go to jail.

[bhudda]

"and Anna Zimoch was suspended for two years and ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work"

As usual the woman gets off and the men go to jail.

as usual all the sentences seem remarkably light imo ... if the report is to be believed (and I don't see why it shouldn't be) at least one young woman was held prisoner for a months if not years and raped multiple times a day everyday ... why do the organisers not all get life sentences?   

[PumpDump]

as usual all the sentences seem remarkably light imo ... if the report is to be believed (and I don't see why it shouldn't be) at least one young woman was held prisoner for a months if not years and raped multiple times a day everyday ... why do the organisers not all get life sentences?

What the police and prosecutor say is often highly exaggerated and far from the truth. It is down to the defence team to disprove. So perhaps in this case they were able to do that. Bear in mind the link in the original post was a press release by the police so is biased.

[Captainhowdy666]

Another raid this week in a shopping precinct of all places.
External Link/Members Only press.co.uk/news/leicester-news/man-37-arrested-leicester-over-9222800

[scutty brown]

Another raid this week in a shopping precinct of all places.
External Link/Members Only press.co.uk/news/leicester-news/man-37-arrested-leicester-over-9222800

Someone's had a bit of fun with that newspaper name.........this link should work  External Link/Members Only

Interestingly it's actually arrests in Leicester relating to a Suffolk investigation (not related to this original thread)

Man, 37, arrested in Leicester over alleged modern slavery offences
A wider investigation also found two foreign nationals safeguarded at a massage parlour

A man has been arrested in Leicester on suspicion of modern slavery offences. The warrant formed part of a wider investigation by officers.

The man, aged 37, was arrested in Leicester on Thursday (April 11) by officers from Suffolk Police after they had executed a warrant at the address. The force said he had been apprehended on suspicion of slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour under the Modern Slavery Act.

His arrest formed part of a wider investigation into modern slavery offences in the Suffolk area. A massage parlour was also subject to a police warrant on Thursday.

Suffolk Police said it executed the warrant at the Summer Health Chinese Massage and Beauty at St Olaves Precinct in Bury St Edmunds. If followed concerns about suspected modern slavery offences. At the scene, police found two female foreign nationals and safeguarded them. One was then also arrested for immigration offences.

A Suffolk Police spokesperson said the man arrested in Leicester was taken into custody for questioning and was later bailed, pending ongoing investigations. He must return to Bury St Edmunds on Thursday, July 11.

I have a half memory that the Summer Health parlour has come to attention before for this kind of thing

This is their website
External Link/Members Only

Police statement
External Link/Members Only