Police have charged three people from Norfolk with slavery and trafficking offences linked to the food industry, authorities said yesterday.

The charges follow raids on properties in Great Yarmouth on Wednesday as part of a joint operation by Norfolk Police, Suffolk Police and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA).

All those arrested were involved in vegetable and meat processing, Suffolk Police said.

Konstantin Sasmurin, 32, and Linus Ratautas, 29, both from Caister-on-Sea, have been charged with acting as a gangmaster without a licence, holding a person in slavery or servitude, trafficking people for exploitation, and money-laundering.

Evelina Perekriostovai, 22, also from Caister-on-Sea, is charged with money-laundering.

All three have been released on bail to appear at Great Yarmouth magistrates’ court on April 1.

A further two people were arrested in Suffolk but police said they will face no further action.