417 people thought to have been trafficked in Ireland in seven years

At least one alleged victim of human trafficking has been found in Ireland every week for the past seven years, giving rise to fears that many others go undetected.

Latest figures show 417 people believed to have been trafficked were discovered by or reported to gardaí here between 2009 and 2015, the majority of them women sold into the sex industry.

However, a sizeable number were children and other adults used in begging, criminality, and as slave labour in private homes and businesses.