Fenland: Man Charged Following Raids

17 October 2013, 09:35 | Updated: 17 October 2013, 16:05

A man, who was arrested as part of an operation to tackle exploitation of workers in Fenland has been charged and is due to attend court.

Ivars Mezals, 27, of Conference Way, Wisbech, has been charged with acting as an unlicensed gangmaster, blackmail and fraud by false representation.
 
He is due to appear at Peterborough Magistrates' Court this morning (October 17).
 
Meanwhile, two other people who were still in custody have been released on police bail.
 
A 44-year-old man from March and a 27-year-old woman from Wisbech will have to return to answer bail on November 7.
 
Six other people have also been released on police bail.
 
All were arrested at about 4am on Tuesday (October 15) at addresses in Wisbech, March and King's Lynn.
 
The operation was led by police and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) and also involved the National Crime Agency (NCA), Fenland District Council, the Home Office and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).
 
The day of action was part of Operation Endeavour, an on-going joint police and GLA inquiry into the exploitation of migrant workers in the Wisbech area, mainly from Lithuania and Latvia, which has been running for four months.