Human Trafficking and Labour Exploitation in the Casual Construction Industry: An Analysis of Three Major Investigations in the UK Involving Irish Traveller Offending Groups

TLDR

Human trafficking and modern slavery are major societal threats, yet the evidence base—particularly on labour trafficking—is underdeveloped and lacks empirical studies. The study systematically explores exploitation in the casual construction industry by Irish Traveller offending groups. Using hard‑to‑reach data from three major police investigations and qualitative analysis of operational case files and senior officer interviews, the authors mapped recruitment, control, and exploitation behaviours in the casual construction industry. The study identified key investigative challenges and provided officers’ recommendations for future cases.

Abstract

Human trafficking and modern slavery are routinely framed as key threats facing society. Despite increased media, policy, and practitioner attention the evidence base remains underdeveloped. The numerous knowledge gaps include a lack of empirical studies and research into labour trafficking. Since labour trafficking is a complex and varied phenomenon, we chose to explore one subset of it in a systematic, detailed, and empirical fashion. Our focus was exploitation in the casual construction industry in the UK perpetrated by Irish Traveller offending groups. We used hard-to-reach data from three major police investigations, namely operational case files and interviews with senior investigating officers. Taking a qualitative approach, we disentangled behaviours and dynamics across three major stages in the trafficking process: recruitment, control, and exploitation. We identified key challenges associated with investigating this crime. In discussing our study's implications for research, policy, and practice, we also include officers' recommendations for future cases.