Police have said that twenty men have been found to be living in “poor conditions” after four simultaneous raids were carried out across the West Midlands.
The men, who police suspect were working for “next to nothing”, were found at three restaurants in Wolverhampton, Coventry and West Bromwich as well as one address in Handsworth, Birmingham.
Two Slovakian suspects, a 49-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman, have been arrested on suspicion of slavery offences.
The victims are reportedly mainly Slovakian and Romanian.
The suspects have been arrested on suspicion of providing staff through a recruitment consultancy.
The three restaurants were Red Leaf, Hugh Street in West Bromwich, Ming Moon, Stafford Road in Wolverhampton and Wing Wah, Fletchamstead Road in Coventry.
Five of the suspected slavery victims were found at the Ming Moon in Wolverhampton, 12 at the Wing Wah in Coventry and three men were also found at the Handsworth location, which was on Anthrobus Road.
The men will be provided with alternative accommodation and will also be helped by having the opportunity to speak to specifically trained officers.
The West Midlands Police said the public can look out for signs of modern slavery in the community, including “large groups of people staying in multi-occupancy houses and being transported to and from addresses in vans or minibuses from early in the morning and not coming back until late at night”.
The force added that investigations are underway after the raids.
