Seven slaves were freed in Plymouth today after a series of police raids.

Devon and Cornwall Police said that eight people had been arrested in the largest slavery swoop the force had ever undertaken.

The victims, thought to be Czech, were being cared for by the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, alongside social care staff from Plymouth City Council.

Search warrants were executed this morning under the Immigration and Asylum Act at five properties in Plymouth and one address in Bodmin.

The eight, five women and three men, were arrested on suspicion of trafficking people into Britain for the purpose of labour exploitation and on suspicion of money laundering and were held in custody in Plymouth.

Detective Superintendent Jim Colwell said that modern slavery was likely to be “much bigger than we currently perceive.”