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Police discovered 40 Romanian immigrants crammed into a three-bedroom terraced house during an anti-slavery raid.

Men, women and children were sleeping in every room of the property, including the kitchen and bathroom.

The beds in the house were filthy and the loft was used as a makeshift larder.

Officers from the National Crime Agency and West Midlands Police raided two neighbouring houses in Stourbridge following a tip-off.

A 23-year-old man was questioned on suspicion of pocketing wages earned by the immigrants.

(Image: Caters)

Sgt Marc Butler of West Midlands Police said: “There were exposed wires and no smoke alarms. Our fire colleagues said it was a disaster waiting to happen.”

(Image: Caters)

The force say slavery involving Eastern European immigrants is a growing problem.

Det Chief Insp Tom Chisholm said a “steady stream” of victims are turning up at police stations on a daily basis.

(Image: Caters)

He added: “Invariably they will have been approached in their home country with offers of attractive salaries working in the UK.

“Agreements are usually struck to sacrifice part of their wages in return for accommodation, transport and living expenses.

(Image: Caters)

"But on arrival they are paid far less than promised, charged exorbitant rents, and threatened with violence.

“Traffickers withhold migrants’ passports and manage bank accounts in their names to siphon off money and to max out their credit cards.

"They are effectively imprisoned in the addresses."

(Image: WEST MIDLANDS POLICE / CATERS NEWS)

Six children – including an 18-month-old baby – and eight women were found at the properties in August. They have been rehoused by the local authority.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 was introduced this summer in an attempt to crack down on the people traffickers.