Lincolnshire car wash owners handed 10-year slavery order – Lincolnshire Live

Owners of a Lincolnshire hand car wash have been handed a 10-year slavery order for employing workers with no right to work in the UK. The Spotless Car Wash on Bridge Road, Long Sutton, was also found to have paid workers significantly less than the National Minimum Wage, according to information obtained by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).

The Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order (STRO) from the GLAA's application was approved by Boston Magistrates' Court on Monday, October 10. Said Ziane, 53, of Little London, Long Sutton, and Sarhad Salari, 33, of Figtree Walk, Peterborough, must now comply with the following restrictions for the next 10 years.

Both must not arrange or assist in helping anyone find employment who has no right to work in the UK and must pay their workers at least the National Minimum Wage and provide them with payslips. They also must not arrange either travel or transport to work for anyone other than immediate family members.

Read more: Police chief claims spiking incidents in Lincoln have 'subsided' following interventions

GLAA Investigating Officer, Dale Walker said: "This is the latest in a number of active Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders we have secured across Lincolnshire this year with our partners. STROs are civil orders that restrict the activities of individuals that present a real risk of committing a slavery or trafficking offence.

"We are committed to working with our partners to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation and these orders are just one of several valuable tools at our disposal that we use. With the order being granted for such a long period of time, we will be able to regularly monitor the activities of the two defendants to ensure that all the conditions are being fully complied with."

The final restriction placed on Ziane and Salari means they must allow GLAA officers and anyone accompanying them access to their business premises at any reasonable time. This would be to check on the welfare of workers and compliance with the order, with breaching the order being a criminal offence carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

The application was supported by Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Trading Standards and Immigration Enforcement. Detective Superintendent Pete Grayson, Director of Intelligence at Lincolnshire Police said: "In recent months we have worked closely with the GLAA and other partners in Lincolnshire to secure a number of Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders.

"This latest success is once again the culmination of a lot of hard work by all partners and we will continue to be proactive in our efforts to tackle this criminality and protect the vulnerable. The orders are vital for the protection of vulnerable workers who are at risk of exploitation.

"They act as a deterrent to criminal behaviour by imposing strict restrictions on those we suspect are at risk of committing slavery or trafficking offences. We will robustly police this latest order as we have with others and will not hesitate to take further action if we identify any breaches."

People who are concerned that a car wash near them is exploiting its workers can contact the GLAA's intelligence team by emailing intelligence@gla.gov.uk. Alternatively, call the Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline on 08000 121 700 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

You can also download the Safe Car Wash app developed by the Clewer Initiative and report your concerns there.

Read Next:

Originally posted here:

Lincolnshire car wash owners handed 10-year slavery order - Lincolnshire Live