Albanian and Welsh Governments unite to combat slavery

Officials in Wales are working with the Albanian authorities to tackle human trafficking, according to the Welsh Government’s anti-slavery coordinator.

Stephen Chapman said more victims of modern slavery from Albania end up in the UK than from any other country.

An Albania government official said it was combining efforts with UK agencies.

They have been looking at how the Welsh Government and the Crown Prosecution Service deal with the problem.

They took part in a conference in Cardiff and visited a safe house where victims are being protected.

Investigation

A CPS spokesperson said that in 2015, 600 Albanian adult slavery victims were identified in the UK, 17% of all cases.

In 2015-16, prosecutions for human trafficking nationwide were their “highest ever, with the number of convictions also increasing”.

The spokesperson said the CPS was a key member of Wales’ Anti-Slavery Leadership Group which “works to improve the investigation and prosecution of modern slavery offences, whilst supporting those who are subjected to this crime”.

Albania’s deputy anti-trafficking coordinator, Dr Elona Gjebrea, who is also the deputy minister of the interior, said she was pleased to be in Cardiff working with “key UK partners combining efforts in the fight against human trafficking”.

Source: BBC