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| Four men questioned over slavery and kidnap charges | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Four people remain in custody after being arrested in Cardiff on slavery and kidnap charges spanning a period of 26 years. | |
| Homes in the Rumney area in the east of the city and Bristol were raided by police on Monday morning. | |
| Four men from Rumney, aged 57, 37, 34 and 33, are being held at Ystrad Mynach police station. | Four men from Rumney, aged 57, 37, 34 and 33, are being held at Ystrad Mynach police station. |
| The alleged slavery offences relate to two men, who police said were safe and being supported by officers. | The alleged slavery offences relate to two men, who police said were safe and being supported by officers. |
| Three men - aged 57, 37 and 33 - were held on suspicion of knowingly or conspiring to hold a person in slavery, servitude or requiring another person to perform forced or compulsory labour, kidnap, false imprisonment and assault. | Three men - aged 57, 37 and 33 - were held on suspicion of knowingly or conspiring to hold a person in slavery, servitude or requiring another person to perform forced or compulsory labour, kidnap, false imprisonment and assault. |
| A fourth man, 34, was arrested on suspicion of knowingly or conspiring to hold a person in slavery, servitude or requiring another person to perform forced or compulsory labour and assault. | A fourth man, 34, was arrested on suspicion of knowingly or conspiring to hold a person in slavery, servitude or requiring another person to perform forced or compulsory labour and assault. |
| A Gwent Police spokeswoman said the four arrests related to two alleged victims, who were not recovered from the addresses raided. | A Gwent Police spokeswoman said the four arrests related to two alleged victims, who were not recovered from the addresses raided. |
| 'Extremely serious' | 'Extremely serious' |
| The arrests were made by officers working on Gwent Police's anti-slavery Operation Imperial. | |
| South Wales Police and Avon and Somerset Police were also involved in Monday's operation, as warrants were executed at five addresses in the Cardiff and Bristol area. | |
| Det Supt Paul Griffiths, who leads Operation Imperial, said: "All four arrests relate to two victims, both men, who are being supported by specially trained officers. The alleged offences we are investigating are extremely serious. | |
| "Allegations from one of the victims cover slavery, servitude and forced labour and span a period of 26 years. Allegations from the other victim cover kidnap, false imprisonment and assault and span a lesser timeframe. | |
| "Anyone with any information that could help is asked to call the Imperial team directly by dialling 01633 647174. | |
| "Alternatively, if someone has information and would rather not pass this directly to the police then I would urge them to contact Crimestoppers, which is independent of the police and guarantees complete anonymity on 0800 555111." | |
| Jacqueline Parry, a local councillor from Rumney said: "There will be absolute shock (over the arrests). | Jacqueline Parry, a local councillor from Rumney said: "There will be absolute shock (over the arrests). |
| "You do not expect it in a suburban area, an area where people know each other, where there are communities." | "You do not expect it in a suburban area, an area where people know each other, where there are communities." |