Officers simultaneously executed four warrants at addresses across the borough this morning- with three men arrested on suspicion of slavery offences.

Acting on intelligence, police suspected workers were being exploited by their bosses - and potentially paid less than £1 an hour to sift through massive piles of recycling waste.

Police targeted CAP Recycling in Elwell Street, West Bromwich and sister firm Black Country Recycling Ltd in the Imex Business Space, Union Road, Oldbury.

After the raids, 12 suspected slaves - 11 from Eastern Europe and one Asian man - were taken to a reception centre and given expert help by Red Cross staff.

Det Insp Colin Mattinson said the alleged slavery operation was 'preying on the most vulnerable members of society'.

He said: "We executed four warrants under the Modern Day Slavery Act in order to secure victims of modern day slavery and to disrupt the criminality that goes behind that - at two recycling centres and two residential addresses.

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"Often these individuals can do up to 12 hours' work a day for as little as £10.

"Modern day slavery is generally perpetrated by organised crime groups as they recognise that you can make a lot of money out of paying people very little to work.

"We found 12 potential victims of human trafficking and made three arrests."

A 52-year-old man was arrested at the Elwell Street centre, while in connected raids in West Bromwich and Handsworth Wood two men, aged 26 and 47, were also arrested on suspicion of slavery offences.

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Det Insp Mattinson urged members of the public to report any suspected incidents of slavery.

He said: "Modern day slavery considered a hidden crime, because people don't tend to think about working conditions or how people are being treated outside work.

"If people see big groups of Eastern European or Asian people being shipped around in the early hours or have any suspicions then I would urge them to report that."

Councillor Preet Gill, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for public health and protection, said: "I welcome these raids; they send out a clear message that we will not tolerate the exploitation of people in our community.

"Modern day slavery may be a hidden crime – but it's a real concern.

"I hope these arrests will give a strong warning as well as encouraging people to report suspicious behaviour which may indicate exploitation is happening in their neighbourhood."