A couple have been arrested on suspicion of holding a woman as a domestic slave in Belfast for more than six years. Police said the arrests are the first of their kind in Northern Ireland
The suspected victim escaped the property where she was allegedly being held around 16 months ago and alerted a member of the public, who contacted police.A 33-year-old man was detained in east Belfast. A search was also carried out at a property and a number of documents and mobile phones were seized.
They are being held on suspicion of human trafficking offences for the purpose of domestic servitude.Police Service of Northern Ireland Detective Inspector Mark Bell, head of PSNI's Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Unit, said: "This victim was brought to Northern Ireland and alleges this was going on for six years until it was brought to our attention.
"Modern slavery is unacceptable as it violates human rights and denies victims their rights to life, freedom and safety. The criminals prey on vulnerable people, control them by fear and exploit them for their own selfish gains. "Modern slavery is often an unseen crime as victims can be afraid to speak out or may be being held captive, and human trafficking for the purposes of domestic servitude can be particularly difficult to detect.
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