Forty Romanians found living in one house as man quizzed Published duration 1 October 2015

image copyright West Midlands Police image caption The Romanians were found in a terraced house in dirty conditions, this pile of rubbish was in the garden

Forty Romanians, including an 18-month old, were found crammed into a three-bedroom house in the West Midlands, it has emerged.

Another 10 were found in a nearby property.

West Midlands Police said the women and children were rehoused, but the men declined offers of support with some deciding to return to Romania.

image copyright West Midlands Police image caption The loft of the terraced house had been turned into a pantry, police said

The families were discovered in a West Midlands Police operation on 28 August, it has emerged.

Sgt Marc Butler said: "Some were sleeping in the kitchen, some in the bathroom.

"There were exposed wires and no smoke alarms; our fire colleagues said it was a disaster waiting to happen."

image copyright West Midlands Police image caption Police said the house was a disaster waiting to happen

Police said a 23-year-old man was interviewed under caution by investigators from the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) on suspicion of siphoning off wages.

Documentation found by police linked the people to a farm in Worcestershire where investigations are continuing.

What can the authorities do?

Such operations are challenging as we regularly come up against victims who've been brainwashed by traffickers into thinking police will prosecute them.

They may have misplaced loyalty or 'debt bondage' to traffickers, or a general fear of reprisals should they speak out against their treatment.

Information provided by victims tends to be very limited and makes it hard, often impossible, to locate addresses, places of work, or offenders.

Det Insp Nick Dale, West Midlands Police.

Ben Cooley, CEO of the charity Hope for Justice , said many victims do not go to the police because they originate from countries with disreputable policing.

The people, including six children, were taken away from the properties and given food and clothing, police said. Some had been living in the house for a few weeks, others for at least three months.

In the first three months of this year West Midlands Police referred 27 suspected slavery victims to the UK Human Trafficking Centre − only 10 fewer than the whole of 2014.

image copyright West Midlands Police image caption Police said some of the Romanians had been living in the house for weeks, others for months