Teesside University, United Kingdom
Strategy and Quality Assurance Lead, World Vision International
Received: June 29th 2021
Accepted: September 3rd 2021
Pages: 179-201
The aim of this article is to provide an account of the human trafficking 'business' in the United Kingdom (UK), as one of the significant 'destination countries' for trafficking victims, by linking it with the context of Balkan countries as 'countries of origin'. Apart from open sources on the topic, the study is based primarily on interviews conducted with experts on human trafficking from various British law enforcement agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations, the Home Office, social services, and academia, as well as intelligence reports by the Metropolitan Police. Our research has shown that the human trafficking scene in the UK is extremely fragmented and decentralised, and with a low entry threshold. Moreover, the research has shown that there is a range of rationales for entering the market, with these rationales having financial implications. The organisation of human trafficking and its finances are facilitated by the use of information and communication technologies. Human trafficking profits tend to be modest, and their management reflects the fragmented nature of the phenomenon. While sophisticated schemes laundering human trafficking money do exist, they are the exception rather than the rule in the UK.
KEY WORDS: Human trafficking, United Kingdom, crime money, money laundering, information and communication technologies.
