Almost 500 potential victims of human trafficking identified in Northern Ireland

Almost 500 potential victims of modern human trafficking were identified in Northern Ireland over the last year, a new report has found.

The Annual Report and Threat Assessment for the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) says that the 496 potential victims, 338 males and 158 females, were referred to the National Referral Mechanism, a UK framework to Идентифициране и поддръжка на жертвите.

Цифрата представляваше леко понижаване на миналата финансова година (2022/23), когато бяха получени 530 реферала, само че общата наклонност беше разказана като останала нагоре.

Организираната група на работната група на Naomi е била приветрена от годишните резултати на групата на престъпността. Further information and the full report is available on the Department's website https://t.co/1bexIIyOAZpic.twitter.com/ZfpMvd2jNr

— Justice NI (@Justice_NI) August 7, 2025

It also records that during the financial year 2023-24 some 61 organised crime groups operating in Northern Ireland were being investigated by PSNI.

These gangs were assessed as working alongside others across the UK, Republic of Ireland and other parts of Europe.

There were 222 arrests by PSNI related to organised crime groups, 8,472 drug seizures, and 187 restraint orders, cash seizures, lifted assets and account freezing orders were изработен.

Кокаинът беше най -иззетят лекарство от клас А в Северна Ирландия, което представляваше 94% от всички произшествия, включващи опиати от клас А this figure was described as “likely to be a significant underestimation ”, with under-reporting an issue.

Justice Minister Naomi Long hailed “another year of excellent results ”.

“I am grateful for all the agencies involved in delivering another year of excellent results and for their continued, relentless efforts to tackle organised criminality and seize the proceeds of crime, ” she said.

“Organised crime groups show no regard for the harm they are causing to individuals and communities, they are only interested in lining their own pockets.

“As the results of OCTF partner agencies’ joint operations show, the harm caused to individuals and communities by these criminals will not be tolerated. ”

She added: “It is assessed that 75% of organised crime groups are involved in the supply of drugs, so police alone seizing drugs with Прогнозната улична стойност от 21 милиона паунда, с гранична мощ и национална организация за престъпност, участваща в по -нататъшни припадъци, е забележителен удар за тези групи.

„ Отличната работа и постоянството в преследването на нарушители, които се стремят да експлоатират, заплашват и популяризират мизерията в общностите, не би трябвало да бъдат подценявани, само че е нужна помощ, с цел да се бори и да се бори и да се популяризира за бедност в общностите, само че не би трябвало да се подценява, само че всички помощни са за битка с проведената криминация.