The PSNI are currently investigating their first case of forced domestic slavery (File picture: Getty)

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are currently investigating their first case of domestic slavery.

It is one of 13 cases of modern slavery involving around 30 people which they are currently probing, with more than half being prostitution related.

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But this is believed to be the first case of forced domestic servitude, where somebody is being forced to work as a modern day slave.

The PSNI told Metro.co.uk: ‘A police investigation is ongoing. There are no further details at this time.’


Half of the 13 cases of modern slavery in Northern Ireland are prostitution related (File picture: Shutterstock)

But officers told BelfastLive that this was just the tip of the iceberg, and other victims are put to work in farms, factories and fishing boats.

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Will Kerr, Director of Vulnerabilities for the National Crime Agency, said they were shocked by the scale of the problem.



He said: ‘Most people thought slavery was abolished a couple of hundred years ago. It is happening in Northern Ireland – and it’s happening in lots of different parts of Northern Ireland.

‘A lot of organised crime gangs have realised that whilst you trade in old traditional commodities like drugs – you can sell drugs once and make a profit.

‘But actually, if someone get a young 18-year-old vulnerable girl who they can make work in a pop-up brothel – then they can make significant amounts of money from her.’

He added that it is not just people from overseas who are being exploited, but also British and Irish people.

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