Inside Britain's Largest Modern Slavery Network: The Operation Fort Investigation
Modern slavery continues to thrive in the 21st century, exploiting vulnerable individuals for financial gain. Operation Fort, led by West Midlands police, stands as the UK's largest investigation into human trafficking and modern slavery. This groundbreaking case has revealed a sophisticated criminal network primarily composed of a Roma family from Central Poland, with connections extending throughout the West Midlands.
The criminal enterprise operated with a clear organizational structure, placing victims in legitimate businesses while stealing their wages and subjecting them to degrading conditions. Despite challenges in prosecution, including suspects fleeing to Poland and complex legal proceedings, authorities have persisted in bringing the perpetrators to justice at Birmingham Crown Court. The case represents a significant milestone in combating human trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act.
Key Takeaways
Modern slavery operations function as organized criminal enterprises with family-based structures and specific roles for each member.
Law enforcement faces significant challenges in prosecuting trafficking cases, including evidence management and preventing suspects from fleeing jurisdiction.
Victims of human trafficking experience profound psychological trauma and require support throughout the legal process.
The Power of Revealing the Hidden Truth
Bringing attention to concealed abuses is essential in our society. When individuals share their personal experiences of exploitation, they shine light on dark corners where injustice thrives. These narratives help expose criminal networks and protect future victims from similar harm.
Voices of Those Exploited
Those who have endured modern slavery often feel compelled to speak out despite personal risks. As one survivor explained, people need to know these abuses happen in our current era. The emotional toll remains significant for victims even years after escaping captivity. Many experience ongoing anxiety and trauma responses.
Physical manifestations of this trauma can include nervousness, breaking objects, and persistent fearfulness. Despite these challenges, victim testimonies are crucial for building legal cases against trafficking networks.
Modern Exploitation in Today's World
Human trafficking investigations often reveal sophisticated criminal enterprises operating in plain sight. These networks typically involve family-based structures with defined roles:
Recruiters who identify vulnerable targets
Facilitators arranging housing and documentation
Individuals responsible for securing employment
Members who handle financial exploitation
Law enforcement faces significant challenges in these cases, including:
Suspects fleeing across international borders
Managing extensive evidence (sometimes 250,000+ pages)
Protecting vulnerable witnesses
Countering multiple defense attorneys
Criminal enterprises treat humans as commodities to be "utilized in any conceivable way." They often target vulnerable individuals and operate through legitimate businesses, making detection difficult.
Police operations against these networks can span years, involving early morning arrests, evidence collection, and complex trial preparation. Successful prosecutions require clear presentation of evidence showing how defendants worked together to exploit victims for profit.
Human Trafficking and Trafficking in Persons
Type Characteristics Labor Exploitation Wage theft, dangerous conditions Family-Based Networks Shared responsibilities, defined roles Cross-Border Operations International movement, document fraud
The fight against modern slavery represents some of the most challenging and important work in law enforcement today.
Operation Fort
Operation Fort stands as the largest human trafficking investigation in British history, uncovering a sophisticated Roma family-based criminal network. This organized crime group systematically exploited vulnerable individuals, treating them as commodities for financial gain. The operation revealed how modern slavery thrives in plain sight, with victims forced to work in legitimate businesses while their captors stole their wages.
Police Investigation Process
Detective Constable Mike Wright and his team at West Midlands Police conducted pre-dawn arrests of suspected traffickers. The investigation spanned over three years, presenting significant challenges in tracking both perpetrators and victims. Several gang members fled to Poland after being released on police bail, complicating prosecution efforts.
Evidence collection was meticulous, with police gathering items such as designer clothes, perfume, gold jewelry, and passports belonging to victims. They also secured jackets matching CCTV footage of suspicious activities. This evidence proved crucial in building their case against the criminal network.
Human Trafficking Network Structure
The criminal organization operated as a family enterprise with clearly defined roles:
Role Member Function Matriarch (Yusa Paresa) Initial contact with victims "M. Binski" Housing arrangement "Mikhovits" Facilitated entry into Britain Yuliana Hodakevich Arranged employment Natalia Juda Wage theft
The group maintained houses across the West Midlands where victims were held captive. Their criminal activities were conducted openly, placing victims in legitimate workplaces while controlling every aspect of their lives.
Legal Proceedings and Victim Support
The Birmingham Crown Court trial began with renowned anti-slavery barrister Caroline Hoi leading the prosecution. She faced the challenge of organizing mountains of evidence—approximately 250,000 pages reduced to 500—into a compelling case against ten defense lawyers.
The prosecution team worked to establish three key points:
The vulnerability of complainants
Evidence of exploitation
Proof of agreement between defendants to exploit victims
For victims like P. Pavi, who came forward in 2015, the trauma continues. "People need to know that in the 21st century people can be used for money and treated like animals," one victim stated, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness about modern slavery.
The comprehensive trial was scheduled to last four months, representing a significant step in British anti-slavery efforts.
The Police Operation
This section explores the tactical elements of a significant modern slavery case handled by West Midlands Police, focusing on their efforts to apprehend suspects involved in systematic human exploitation.
Detective Constable Wright's Involvement
Detective Constable Mike Wright began his day at 5:00 a.m. in West Bromage, heading to arrest a suspect believed to be involved in human trafficking and possibly violating an anti-slavery court order. The suspect presented himself as friendly, though victims had described him as potentially aggressive and violent, particularly when faced with resistance. DC Wright's team was conducting what would become the largest investigation into modern slavery operations in the region.
When confronted, the suspect was informed of his arrest for breaching a slavery and trafficking risk order based on victim testimony. DC Wright placed the suspect in handcuffs as a standard procedure until they reached the custody facility.
The Trafficking Network Structure
The police investigation targeted an organized criminal enterprise with clearly defined roles among its members. At the center was a Roma family from Central Poland, with specific individuals handling different aspects of the operation:
Role Member Responsibility Leader Matriarch identified as Paresa Initial contact with victims Housing Coordinator Binski Arranged accommodations Immigration Facilitator Mikhovits Brought victims into Britain Employment Arranger Hodakevich Secured work placements Financial Handler Juda Confiscated victims' wages
The network operated houses across the West Midlands, placing victims in legitimate businesses. This allowed them to conduct criminal activities openly, treating human beings as commodities to be exploited in multiple ways.
Processing and Evidence Collection
During the arrest, police gathered crucial evidence from the suspect's residence, including:
Designer clothing and accessories
Expensive perfume
Gold jewelry
Multiple passports belonging to residents
Jackets potentially connecting to suspicious activities captured on CCTV
The investigation faced significant challenges. Eight gang members had already been charged and awaited trial in Birmingham, while others had fled to Poland after being released on police bail. The investigation had stretched over three years, making it difficult to track both perpetrators and victims.
When processing the suspect, officers discovered he was represented by a prominent London law firm, not typically seen in these cases. Despite DC Wright's hopes that the suspect would be denied bail due to flight risk and victim protection concerns, a district judge released him. The suspect subsequently fled to Poland, demonstrating the ongoing challenges in prosecuting human trafficking networks.
Prosecution Challenges
Investigation Complexities
Modern slavery cases involve intricate networks requiring extensive evidence collection. Detectives face significant hurdles managing vast amounts of documentation, often exceeding 250,000 pages that must be condensed to manageable trial bundles. The prosecution team must carefully organize this mountain of evidence into a compelling narrative for the jury. They need to demonstrate clearly how defendants worked together systematically to exploit victims, showing specific roles within criminal enterprises.
Suspects Evading Justice
One major obstacle prosecutors face is preventing suspects from disappearing before trial. Despite arrest procedures and bail conditions, accused traffickers frequently flee to their countries of origin. This pattern creates frustrating gaps in prosecution efforts, as authorities struggle to track individuals who leave without trace. Even when police recognize flight risks and recommend custody, courts may still grant bail, allowing suspects to escape across borders. This undermines victim confidence in the justice system and complicates the already challenging task of bringing trafficking networks to justice.
Legal Proceedings
Court Appearances
The Birmingham Crown Court began the trial of five members of the human trafficking gang approximately nine months after initial arrests. This trial represented the largest human trafficking labor exploitation case in Britain tried under the Modern Slavery Act. The prosecution, led by renowned anti-slavery barrister and government adviser Caroline Hoi, faced the challenge of organizing substantial evidence into a compelling case for the jury.
The trial was scheduled to last four months, with the prosecution needing to demonstrate that the defendants operated as a coordinated criminal enterprise. The remaining three gang members would face trial immediately following this initial proceeding.
Prosecutors aimed to clearly establish key questions for jurors: Were the complainants vulnerable? Were they exploited? Did defendants agree to exploit them? The case involved ten defense lawyers opposing the prosecution team.
Suspect's Legal Representation
One detained suspect chose representation by a top London law firm, which initially caused confusion for custody officers who were unfamiliar with the firm. The suspect's legal team was identified as a London-based practice not typically appearing on local police lists.
The prosecution team included Caroline Hoi as lead barrister, supported by barristers Nick and Emma who helped manage the extensive documentation. Their work involved preparing multiple copies of evidence bundles, creating graphics for presentation, and organizing approximately 250,000 pages of evidence into manageable 500-page summaries for the jury.
Detective Nick Dale, who led the police investigation, worked closely with the legal team to coordinate witness testimony and evidence presentation. His team witnessed firsthand the profound impact these crimes had on victims.
Bail Decisions
A district judge granted bail to one suspect despite police concerns about flight risk. Detective Constable Mike Wright had specifically recommended against bail, arguing detention would serve two crucial purposes: preventing the suspect from fleeing the country and safeguarding potential victims.
Unfortunately, Mike's concerns proved valid as the suspect later absconded to Poland after being released on bail. This pattern of suspects fleeing to Poland after receiving bail had already complicated the three-year investigation.
Eight gang members had been charged initially, but several had already fled after being arrested and released on police bail. Investigators expressed frustration about their inability to prevent suspects from leaving the country without detection, making it difficult to ensure their presence for trial.
The Court Proceedings
The Birmingham Trial
The trial against members of a human trafficking organization began at Birmingham Crown Court in 2025, marking a significant milestone in the fight against modern slavery in Britain. Five defendants initially faced charges, with three more scheduled for subsequent proceedings. The prosecution prepared extensive documentation, including approximately 250,000 pages of evidence condensed to roughly 500 pages for the jury. This material outlined the operations of what investigators described as a large, highly organized criminal enterprise.
Significance of the Trafficking Prosecution
This case represents the largest human trafficking and labor exploitation trial ever prosecuted under Britain's Modern Slavery Act. The criminal organization operated as a family business, primarily consisting of a Roma family from Central Poland with a clear hierarchical structure. The group's matriarch, several family members, and trusted associates each performed specific roles in the operation.
The defendants allegedly held victims in houses across the West Midlands region and placed them in legitimate businesses, effectively hiding their criminal activities in plain sight. The investigation spanned more than three years, presenting numerous challenges for the police team, including suspects fleeing to Poland after being released on bail.
Lead Prosecutor's Approach
The prosecution team was led by a renowned anti-slavery barrister and government adviser who specialized in human trafficking cases. Her strategy focused on presenting a clear narrative to the jury by addressing essential questions:
Were the complainants vulnerable?
Were they exploited?
Was there an agreement between people to exploit them?
Were the defendants party to that agreement?
The prosecution faced ten defense lawyers and had to organize mountains of evidence into a compelling case. Despite technical challenges and the complexity of the material, the prosecution team maintained confidence in their ability to communicate effectively with the jury. They worked diligently to ensure witnesses appeared in court, including some of the first victims who came forward in 2015, who still experienced significant trauma from their experiences.
Gang Organization and Operational Structure
Crime Family Network
The criminal organization operates as a family-centered enterprise based in Central Poland with Roma origins. At its core is matriarch Yusa Paresa, who personally meets victims when they first arrive in the UK. Family connections form the foundation of the operation, with fathers, sons, cousins, uncles, mothers, and aunts working together. The family structure provides built-in trust, though they selectively incorporate trusted outsiders with specific skills needed for their operations.
Family ties create a resilient criminal network designed to withstand law enforcement interventions. When several members were charged, others fled to Poland, demonstrating their mobility and ability to evade capture. Their disappearing tactics frustrated police, who often struggled to track their movements across borders.
Organizational Hierarchy
Within the trafficking operation, each member serves a distinct function. M. Binski arranges housing for captives, while Mikhovitz facilitates entry into Britain. Yuliana Hodakevich secures employment for victims at legitimate businesses, and Natalia Juda handles financial exploitation by stealing victims' wages.
The organization maintains tight control over victims through various means:
Housing management: Concentrating victims in properties across West Midlands
Work placement: Securing jobs at established businesses
Financial control: Confiscating identification documents and earnings
Material signaling: Members display wealth through designer clothes, perfume, and gold jewelry
Police investigations revealed the sophistication of their coordination, with evidence showing how methodically each member performed their role in the trafficking chain.
Exploitation Methodology
The gang views human beings as "commodities" to be utilized for profit in multiple ways. They specifically target vulnerable individuals, bringing them to the UK with promises of legitimate work. Once victims arrive, the gang seizes their documentation and establishes complete control over their movements, housing, and earnings.
Their criminal enterprise operates remarkably openly, conducting trafficking activities "in plain sight" through seemingly legitimate businesses. This brazen approach allowed them to exploit numerous victims over extended periods before authorities intervened.
Law enforcement describes their tactics as manipulative and sometimes violent, particularly when victims resist control. The organization's success depended on:
Identifying vulnerable potential victims
Establishing complete control over their daily lives
Systematically stealing their wages
Using intimidation when challenged
The collective criminal actions have caused profound trauma for survivors, who describe being "treated like animals" and experiencing ongoing psychological effects from their captivity.
Managing Evidence and Case Materials
Presenting Evidence Effectively
Strong evidence presentation forms the cornerstone of any successful modern slavery prosecution. The investigation team faced significant challenges organizing over 250,000 pages of documents, condensing them into manageable 500-page bundles for the jury. The evidence collection included various physical items such as designer clothes, perfume, gold jewelry, and passports belonging to potential victims. Investigators also secured jackets potentially matching those captured in CCTV footage, establishing connections to suspicious activities.
The prosecution team created clear visual aids and graphics to help the jury understand the complex structure of the criminal enterprise. These materials illustrated how each defendant played a specific role within the organization. The evidence needed to demonstrate the family-based structure of the operation while highlighting how they exploited vulnerable individuals through a coordinated effort.
Coordinating Witness Participation
The prosecution relied heavily on victim testimonies to build a compelling case. Witness management proved particularly challenging as many victims experienced ongoing trauma from their exploitation. P. Pavi, one of the first witnesses to come forward in 2015, continued to struggle with nervousness and emotional distress when recalling his experiences.
Detectives Michelle and Mike worked diligently to:
Ensure witnesses appeared in court as scheduled
Provide appropriate support for traumatized victims
Protect witnesses from potential intimidation
Maintain ongoing communication throughout the four-month trial period
The prosecution team recognized that witness testimony would be crucial to establishing the defendants' guilt. They focused on presenting witnesses who could clearly articulate how they were targeted due to their vulnerability and subsequently exploited within this criminal operation.
Impact on Victims
Modern slavery leaves profound psychological and physical scars on survivors. Victims often experience severe trauma from being treated as commodities rather than human beings. As one survivor stated, "People need to know that in the 21st century people can be used for money and treated like animals."
The exploitation follows a calculated pattern. Victims are typically vulnerable individuals who are manipulated, threatened, and sometimes subjected to violence. Their personal documents, including passports, are often confiscated, leaving them with limited options to escape their situation.
Financially, victims suffer significant harm. Traffickers systematically steal wages earned through forced labor, leaving victims without resources. Meanwhile, perpetrators display their wealth through designer clothes, perfume, and gold jewelry—all purchased with profits from exploitation.
The psychological impact extends well beyond the period of captivity. One victim mentioned that thoughts of that time still affect them: "Sometimes I do think about it, sometimes my nerves get the better of me. I tend to break things and I'm really nervous." This demonstrates the lasting trauma that continues to disrupt victims' lives long after they've been freed.
For law enforcement and prosecutors, maintaining victim cooperation presents significant challenges. When suspects are released on bail and flee the country, this undermines victims' confidence in the justice system and can exacerbate their sense of vulnerability and helplessness.
Despite these challenges, victim testimony remains crucial to successful prosecutions. Their willingness to come forward and share their experiences, despite the associated trauma, forms the foundation of evidence that enables authorities to dismantle these criminal enterprises.
