Police Scotland arrests 36 in largest coordinated human trafficking operation

Police Scotland arrested 36 people on Wednesday in what the force described as its biggest and most coordinated operation against alleged human trafficking, codenamed Operation Kendrew. Around 300 officers were deployed to carry out simultaneous raids at 47 properties spread across Glasgow, Falkirk, Dundee and other locations in the central belt and north‑east of Scotland. The operation was aimed at a network said to be principally run by individuals from Vietnam, with additional members from other south‑east Asian countries, and which is alleged to have been active across the United Kingdom. Detective Superintendent Stevie Bertram, who heads Police Scotland’s national human trafficking unit, explained that the action was the culmination of a lengthy investigation conducted in partnership with a range of domestic and international agencies. He emphasised that the effort represented the most extensive and co‑ordinated human trafficking operation the force had ever undertaken and that it resulted directly from collaborative work with partners.

During the raids officers uncovered 14 cannabis cultivations and also located what police characterised as “a number of potential trafficking victims.” By 12:30 p.m. on the day of the operation approximately 20 individuals had already been taken into custody, with the total reaching 36 by the end of the day. Among the premises searched was a warehouse in the Dalmarnock area of Glasgow; at 8 a.m. officers, wearing protective helmets, used cutting tools to breach a shutter and gain entry, after which they were seen conducting searches inside the building. A property in the Springburn district of the city was also subjected to a raid as part of the same operation.

The offences under investigation include human trafficking, drug cultivation, fraud, forced labour, immigration crime and money laundering. Police Scotland worked alongside the National Crime Agency, the Home Office, Immigration Enforcement, HMRC and policing authorities from Vietnam and other south‑east Asian nations to execute the operation. Superintendent Bertram stated that the investigators believe Operation Kendrew will “absolutely” disrupt the group’s activities moving forward. He described human trafficking as the illegal trade in human beings for the purpose of commercial exploitation, declaring that “it has no place in Scotland” and noting that “it exists in many of our communities and involves people who are resident legally in the country.” He added that the trafficking industry has become so sophisticated that it often goes unnoticed by the public.

Bertram urged anyone who possesses information or suspicions relating to human trafficking to contact the police without delay, observing that the Scottish public has become more adept at recognising the signs and more inclined to report them. He said, “I think the Scottish public are much better now at spotting the signs of human trafficking and are more likely to phone,” and stressed that “the ask is to continue to do that.” He further advised that if anybody harbours any suspicions at all they should contact the police “as a matter of urgency.” The detective also characterised the inquiry as an “ongoing, large‑scale investigation,” highlighting that the coordinated approach involving multiple agencies and international partners reflects the complex, transnational nature of trafficking networks that often embed themselves within legitimate communities.

By highlighting the scale of the operation, the number of premises searched, the substances seized and the indicators of victim presence, the police aim to demonstrate both the seriousness of the threat and the resolve of law‑enforcement agencies to address it. The operation serves as a public reminder that exploitation can occur in plain sight and that community vigilance, coupled with robust multi‑agency cooperation, remains essential in combating such crime.