Police have arrested five people after the discovery of 24 men being held against their will at a Bedfordshire Pikey site.

Four men and a woman were arrested on Sunday for committing slavery offences at Greenacre caravan site in Leighton Buzzard.

The men, some English and some from eastern Europe, were found in "filthy and cramped" Detectives believe some may have been there for up to 15 years.
They were told they could not leave and if they did they would be beaten up and attacked.


Those arrested on the caravan park are all so called travellers, Pikey's similar to those illegally occupying the Dale Farm green belt site.,


Police found class A drugs, illegal firearms and a large amount of cash at the site,
The raid was launched as part of a long-running investigation by Bedfordshire Police after intelligence a number of men were being held against their will in poor conditions and forced to work for no pay.

The raid on the site, which involved more than 200 police officers and representatives of various agencies including welfare charities, began at 05:3o yesterday.

The 24 men believed to be victims of slavery, were found in sheds and horse boxes, and were taken from the site to a medical centre.


The major crime unit was assisted by dog sections, helicopter and firearms support, and officers from the UK Human Trafficking Centre.

The men appeared to have been "recruited" from soup kitchens and benefits offices and included people with problems such as alcoholism. They were told if you come work for us we'll pay you £80 a day, we'll look after you give you board and lodgings.

But when they get here, their hair is cut off them, they're kept in in some were kept in horseboxes, dog kennels and old caravans, made to work for no money, given very, very small amounts of food.

They were told they could not leave and if they did they would be beaten up and attacked. But in fact some people did leave and told police what was going on and when we looked back since 2008 we were aware of 28 people who had made similar accusations.

This story involving slavery, class A drugs, illegal firearms and violence shows the world the true side of Pikey's living in the UK today.