Britain to post slavery spotters at airports

Authorities are considering putting "slavery spotters" into British airports, to watch for human trafficking. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

LONDON British authorities are posting slavery spotters in London Heathrow Airport, in a bid to monitor and stop human traffickers.

Border Forces will be stationed at the airport beginning April 1, and Britain's second and third busiest airports beginning later in the year. Authorities are looking for not just slavery, but also slavery-like practices such asdebt bondage, forced marriage and the sale or exploitation of children.

Our frontline Border Force officers are aware that they could be the first authority figure in the UK to have contact with a potential victim of modern slavery, saidKaren Bradley, Britain's new modern slavery and organized crime minister.

Their role is vital in identifying and protecting victims and ensuring there is no easy route into the UK for traffickers.She said they would be supported by the National Crime Agency, Britain's equivalent of the FBI, which will bring its child protection expertise to bear in cases involving children.

The government hopes to get the draft Modern Slavery Bill into law before the general election in May 2015. It would introduce tougher sentences for human traffickers.

The inaugural Global Slavery Index, published in October by the Walk Free Foundation estimated there were 4,200 to 4,600 people in modern slavery in Britain.

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Britain to post slavery spotters at airports