Award Nomination:
Invisible Traffick is an NGO dedicated to enhancing safety and security in Ports and the Maritime Industry through engagement and empowering of staff by raising awareness of the signs & indicators of modern slavery, including human trafficking and the threats to ports and port staff from organised crime.
Organised crime poses a significant and evolving security and safety threat to UK ports. Criminal groups are targeting border vulnerabilities through the trafficking of people and commodities like drugs and firearms, facilitate illegal migration, and exploit workers. As stated by the National Crime Agency (NCA) serious and organised crime, often relying on port infiltration, costs the UK £47 billion annually with an estimated figure of potential victims of modern slavery in UK to be in the region of 130,000. In response from a request by the PFSO at the time in Larne Port, Invisible Traffick developed a bespoke training programme and delivered awareness training sessions initially at Larne Port and Cairnryan Port in June 2019 and then subsequent sessions in Larne, Cairnryan and Dover in February / March 2023. These sessions focused on enhancing the training and skills with Security Personnel, Port Frontline Staff and members in crew identifying the signs and indicators of modern slavery and human trafficking. Training was delivered to select personnel from UKBF, Police, Port Police and HMRC. All employee shift patterns were accommodated to ensure comprehensive staff coverage.
Additional Information:
The Need
Following a restructuring of security management at Larne Port, a gap was identified in frontline staff’s ability to recognise and respond to human trafficking. This concern was driven by the Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO), highlighting several suspected trafficking incidents encountered by Port Security Teams. The area of human trafficking was a new concept and had not previously been identified at these ports.
Invisible Traffick were commissioned to deliver human trafficking awareness sessions, tailored specifically to the operations of port environments. The objective was to equip security and frontline personnel with the knowledge and confidence to identify suspicious behaviours, intervene appropriately, and report concerns to law enforcement.
What Happened
The training was delivered to security, frontline teams and crew members, focusing on human trafficking, signs and indicators, and reporting mechanisms. Crucially, the programme emphasised empowerment, encouraging staff to trust their instincts and act.
The immediate impact was substantial. Within the first three months of delivery in 2019, staff submitted 8 observations to Police. These directly resulted in the identification of 8 victims of modern slavery. Each case led to a formal police investigation, during which key evidence such as mobile phones and laptops was seized. Police later confirmed that two of these investigations contributed to the disruption of an international organised crime group operating out of Europe.
The Longer-Term Results
Countering Human Trafficking:
The programme created a cultural shift in vigilance and reporting. Prior to training, there were zero recorded trafficking-related reports in 2018. Between 2019 and 2022, this rose to 127 incidents reported to Police by Port, Security staff and crew members.
This enabled authorities to identify trafficking patterns and methods of operation. Early indicators, such as a single male accompanying a female and paying cash, developed into more complex patterns, including groups of six or more individuals being transported by taxi from Dublin. In many cases, drivers would escort victims into the terminal, communicate on their behalf, and pay cash for onward travel to GB. These insights significantly enhanced law enforcement’s ability to detect and disrupt trafficking networks.
Countering Other Organised Crime:
The awareness training also had an impact on the identification of criminal activity. As a result of increased vigilance and reporting, Port staff contributed to:
Identification of a suspicious individual later confirmed by Police as an internationally wanted diamond smuggler wanted by Interpol.
£200,000 worth of drugs seized.
4.6 tonnes of illegal foodstuffs intercepted.
375 suspected cases of puppy smuggling, with over 60 animals seized.
Measuring Success
Success was measured with tangible results, including the sharp increase in reports (from 0 to 127), the identification of victims, and the disruption of organised crime.
Equally important was the transformation in staff behaviour and engagement. The PFSO reported a marked increase in proactive reporting in both safety as well as security observations, a reduction in port accidents, and significantly improved collaboration between port authorities, police, and government agencies.
The programme not only addressed an immediate operational need but established a long-term, intelligence and data sharing relationship that continues to strengthen safety and resilience at Larne Port today.
In demonstrating the success of the awareness training outlined above, Invisible Traffick developed a maritime strategy aimed at further strengthening ports’ resilience to modern slavery and organised crime. This strategy was directly formed by the operational insights, intelligence patterns, and behavioural changes evidenced at Larne Port.
The primary objective of the strategy is to build on this success by embedding awareness across all levels of port and maritime operations. Central to this approach is the development of tailored e-learning modules designed specifically for a range of port and maritime job roles. These modules recognise that different staff groups—security personnel, check-in staff, port operatives, and management—encounter distinct risks and indicators within their daily duties.
The training aims to:
- Build foundational and advanced awareness of modern slavery and organised crime risks
- Enhance staff engagement.
- Empower personnel to confidently identify and report signs and indicators of exploitation
- Standardise reporting practices and improve the quality of intelligence shared with enforcement agencies
This approach ensures consistent training delivery while allowing ports to efficiently train staff and maintain high awareness levels over time.
The development and rollout of this training programme was supported and partially funded by the Security Industry Authority, recognising both the proven impact of the initial Larne Port intervention and the wider national security benefits of strengthening vigilance across maritime environments.
The e-learning suite consists of the following modules:
Port Senior Management Introduction
Tourist Foot Passengers and Vehicles
Freight Traffic and Shipping Container Handling
Harbour Masters and VTS Staff
Harbours, Marinas, Fishers and Crew
Additionally, according to the International Labour Organisation, an estimated 50 million people are currently living in conditions of modern slavery worldwide. Alarmingly, around 40% of the global fish catch is believed to come from fleets at high risk of labour exploitation
Enhancing Security Enhances Safety!
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