More than 500 held for sex trafficking

London: Thirteen children were among 167 victims of human trafficking recovered by police, the Home Office said on Wednesday, in a six-month crackdown which led to 528 arrests.

The investigation involved 55 police forces who searched over 800 premises including residential apartments, massage parlours and nail bars and rescued 167 women forced into prostitution or servitude.

The victims were mostly from China, southeast Asia and eastern Europe.

'Ordinary' premises

"We still have an insidious problem in the heart of our society," Dr Tim Brain, of the Association of Chief Police Officers told reporters. Brain added that of those arrested, 88 had been charged with offences including the trafficking of humans, brothel management and money laundering.

"We have some way to go before human trafficking investigation is core business for every single police force," Brain said.

Many of the premises investigated were in "ordinary" suburban areas, Brain said, used as fronts for brothels with neighbours largely unaware of illegal activity taking place.