Man charged with modern slavery offences after extradition

A man has been charged with modern slavery and human trafficking offences in Birmingham after being extradited from Poland.

Adam Brzezinski, 33, a Polish national, arrived in the UK on 17 September and appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court the following day. He has been charged with 11 human trafficking and slavery offences.

The case will now go through the courts, and he is entitled to a fair trial. Nothing should be published or shared that could prejudice the proceedings.

What modern slavery is

Modern slavery is the use of force, threats, deception or abuse of power to exploit people for someone else's gain. It includes forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude and forcing people to commit crimes, such as growing cannabis or selling drugs.

Victims can be of any age, gender or nationality, including British citizens. Many are tricked with promises of good jobs and then find their documents taken and their wages kept to pay off debts that can never be cleared.

How to spot the signs

Signs that someone may be a victim include:

• appearing frightened, withdrawn or controlled by someone else
• not having their passport or identity documents
• living in overcrowded or poor accommodation, sometimes at their workplace
• being dropped off and picked up from work at unusual hours
• having few personal possessions and wearing the same clothes every day

Where it happens

Exploitation has been found in car washes, nail bars, factories, warehouses, farms, construction sites and private homes. Birmingham and its surrounding areas have seen several large cases in recent years, including one of the biggest modern slavery investigations in UK history, which found hundreds of people had been exploited.

How to report it

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise, call the police on 101, or the Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline, run by the charity Unseen, on 08000 121 700. It is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.