Police Scotland raids Glasgow warehouses in large human-trafficking bust
Around 20 people were detained in Glasgow as part of Operation Kendrew, a coordinated crackdown on a trafficking network linked to Vietnam and other Southeast Asian groups.
In a major police action dubbed Operation Kendrew, roughly 20 suspects were arrested by midday on Wednesday in Glasgow. The operation uncovered 14 cannabis cultivation sites and identified a number of possible trafficking victims. Authorities allege the criminal group, primarily composed of individuals from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations, operates across the UK and is suspected of human trafficking, forced labour, fraud, drug cultivation, immigration crime and money laundering.
Police Scotland, led by Detective Superintendent Stevie Bertram, coordinated the raids with the National Crime Agency, the Home Office, Immigration Enforcement, HMRC and policing agencies from Vietnam and the region. Searches were conducted at a warehouse in Dalmarnock and a property in Springburn, using protective equipment to breach shutters. Bertram emphasized the operation's scale, calling it the most extensive human-trafficking enforcement effort in Scotland and urging the public to report any suspicions promptly. The Scottish Government reiterated its commitment to combating organised crime and supporting victims.
Why it matters
The bust disrupts a transnational trafficking network and highlights coordinated efforts to protect vulnerable people.
In this story
