Yesterday seen Northumbria Police seize several individuals from properties across the North East of England whom it is believed have been held and trafficked as textile slaves. It is thought that the individuals have been used to collected donated clothing from households across the region.
After a year long investigation, the police force received intelligence regarding a Lithuanian crime group which are thought to be operating in Newcastle. It is suspected that the men worked as charity bag collectors through a third party and that they would travel across the city to collect donations of clothes. They would then hand the clothing back to the factory where they are then sold overseas with a cut of the proceeds then expected to go to the charity in question.