Members and associates of two Polish crime families have been jailed for between 3 and 11 years in 2 separate trials for trafficking, conspiracy to require another to perform forced labour, and money laundering.
Julianna Chodakowicz, 24, Marek Brzezinski, 50, Marek Chowaniec, 30, Justyna Parczewska, 48, and Natalia Zmuda, 29, were sentenced to a total of 35 years in February, and today, Ignacy Brzezinski, 53, Jan Sadowski, 28, and Wojciech Nowakowski, 42, were sentenced in what has been described as the UK's largest ever modern slavery ring.
Police believe there have been up to 400 victims, vulnerable people from their own homeland who were targeted with promises of money and a better life.
The reality turned out to be very different. Victims were housed in appalling conditions in the West Midlands, put to work in a variety of menial jobs and were made to open bank accounts which the offenders had complete control of. One of the victims died in captivity and his possessions removed to avoid discovery of the plot. Over a 5 year period the gang netted over £2 million pounds.
When victims complained, they were threatened and tortured.
In 2015, 2 victims escaped and contacted Hope for Justice, a slavery charity, and told of their ordeal.
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-48881327bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48736957
