Modern slavery is present in every area of the UK and thousands of cases are referred each year.
The officers were assisted by a team from the Gangmasters and Labor Authority yesterday in the raid of the Splash Car Valeting car wash on Picton Road, Wavertree.
The team arrested two people on suspicion of forced labor and immigration crimes.
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Merseyside drivers were “devastated” in the car wash after the raid, but how do you spot the signs of modern slavery?
They found two people who worked on the site who they believed were victims of modern day slavery.
A tweet from the Merseyside Police South Liverpool team said these two people were now protected from such exploitation.
Is there a cash payment policy?
If a car wash only accepts cash, does not issue a receipt, or is just the manager handling money, it could be a sign that the company is not paying taxes, social security, or improperly paying workers.
It is more likely that a car wash operating outside the control system is willing and able to exploit its workers.
Do children work on site?
Although the employment of children aged 13 and over is not illegal, their young age and low labor costs make them increasingly vulnerable to exploitation.
Children under the age of 16 are not entitled to the national minimum wage, while children over the age of 16 are covered by the legislation but are only entitled to a wage that is well below the national minimum wage.
Do workers look scared?
Workers who look anxious could be a sign of the various methods that exploited workers are controlled, such as threats, intimidation, physical violence, coercion, bondage and withheld wages.
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Do workers have access to suitable clothing?
Health and safety regulations require employers to take practical steps to reduce the risk of harm to their workers, including providing protective clothing such as gloves, boots and coveralls.
Some car washes use harmful chemicals such as hydrochloric acid when washing vehicles.
No protective equipment can be a sign that employers are violating health and safety regulations.
Are there any signs of workers living on the car wash?
A report on the nature of the exploitation in the hand wash area found that it is not uncommon for workers on the car wash to live in employer-provided accommodation.
Signs such as containers, caravans, bedding and mattresses indicate that workers lived in the washing area.