Almost 500 potential victims of human trafficking identified in Northern Ireland

The figure represented a slight decrease on the previous financial year Picture: PA

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 identify and support victims.

The figure represented a slight decrease from the previous financial year (2022/23), when 530 referrals were received; however, the general trend was described as remaining upward.

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

These gangs were assessed as working alongside others across the UK, the 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 made.

Cocaine was the most seized Class A drug in Northern Ireland, accounting for 94% of all incidents involving Class A drugs.

Meanwhile, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) recorded 427 cybercrime reports in Northern Ireland, most relating to the hacking of social media and email accounts, with reported losses of £263,300.

However, 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 an estimated street value of £21m, with Border Force and National Crime Agency involved in further seizures, is a significant blow to these groups.

“The excellent work and persistence in pursuing criminals who set out to exploit, threaten and spread misery across communities should not be underestimated, but everybody’s help is needed to combat organised crime.”