Crews were called to the mill at around 2.15am on Saturday (May 7). It was not believed that anyone was inside the mill at the time of the fire. Demolition workers discovered human remains on July 23rd, just two days after GMP received a report on Thursday (July 21) that four Vietnamese nationals were missing and may have been involved in a fire. One line of police enquiry is examining whether part of the mill was used to farm Cannabis. Another is whether the men were victims of human trafficking. Safe and Free CEO John Piekos (former police detective) spoke with reporter Emma Sweeney about his thoughts on this tragic event.
As soon as John learned that there was a potential cannabis farm in the mill, his immediate thought was this could be linked to Modern Slavery. Traffickers target those they believe to be most vulnerable, victims are often tricked, manipulated and coerced into a life of exploitation. Victims forced to work for little or no pay. They are usually threatened, beaten or abused to ensure they do not try to leave / contact the authorities for help. Spot the Signs: - Paid very little or no pay at all. - Working long hours, overtime, few or no breaks. - Living in over-crowded and inhumane conditions. - No access to own documents e.g. passport and banking services. - Little freedom of movement, always be accompanied, transported to and from work. - May show signs of abuse, appear malnourished, exhausted or unkempt. - Lack of protective equipment, suitable clothing or health and safety standards. #humantrafficking #modernslavery #victims #spottingthesigns #granada #itvnews