Change in Legal Entity

The legal entity for the UKHTC will be moving to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). The move will take place on 1 April 2010. The Centre is currently part of South Yorkshire Police.

A project team has been set up to ensure a smooth transition to SOCA. The UKHTC will continue to work as it does now, from its base in Sheffield. It is likely that the Centre will be re-located into the SOCA estate however there is no firm time frame for this. SOCA fully intends to work with the existing staff at the Centre in deciding this.

SOCA and the Home Office are keen for the UKHTC to retain its role and character. The UKHTC therefore will continue to be a national and international centre of excellence in human trafficking.

The Centre has exceeded all its initial targets and has firmly established itself as a centre for expertise helping to deliver operational, tactical and legal support to police forces and other law enforcement agencies and partners engaged in tackling human trafficking. The multi-agency approach (the centre is occupied by members of the police service, CPS, SOCA, HMRC, UKBA, NGO’s amongst others) used by the centre plays a key part in co-ordinating work with partners and stakeholders in the UK and abroad.

The UKHTC has acted in an advisory capacity for police operations across the country, a number of which have resulted in successful prosecutions for offences relating to human trafficking. The centre has also been responsible for identifying and highlighting new trends in trafficking including the plight of victims of internal trafficking.

The reason for the alignment with SOCA is to ensure the UKHTC can continue to flourish under an existing law enforcement remit that allows its continued multi agency approach and also has some knowledge of human trafficking. Since the opening of the Centre members of SOCA have been working in the UKHTC, which provide a sound foundation, upon which to build on.

Nick Kinsella, Head of the Centre said:

“We need to ensure that the expertise of the staff at the Centre, are disrupted as little as possible during the transitional phase and that we retain the multi agency and victim focus aspect that has been integral to our success.

“From the inception of the Centre SOCA has been a key partner and to that extent this move will strengthen what is already, a key partnership. This is a necessary administrative task to ensure the longevity of the Centre.”