A police probe has been launched after two ‘slaves’ were found trapped inside a huge cannabis factory that burst into flames.
A 43-year-old man sadly died after being pulled from the industrial unit while a second man, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital for treatment, reports Birmingham Live.
Investigators say the door of the unit, in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, was locked which left the two suspected human trafficking victims with no way to escape the blaze.
The two suspected human trafficking victims were locked inside the burning unit
(Image: Dan Ainge)
Officers are now keen to speak to the owner of a drone that flew over the unit when the fire broke out at around 7.30pm on Thursday, the Birmingham Mail reports.
Detective Inspector Jim Mahon from force CID said: “A man has sadly died and we’re working to establish the full circumstances of what happened.
“We are urgently appealing for anyone with information about who is involved in exploiting these men, and involved in the set up to contact us.
“We know there was a drone flying over the unit when the fire first broke out, so we are appealing to the owner of the drone to contact us directly, as the footage recorded may hold vital information in our investigation.”
West Midlands Police believe both men were trafficked from outside the UK and forced to work at the industrial scale cannabis factory.
Superintendent Jason Anderson of Dudley Neighbourhood Policing Unit said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has tragically lost his life in these awful circumstances.
“We will be supporting detectives leading this inquiry anyway we can.
“A cannabis factory was discovered at the unit and we now believe these vulnerable men were trafficked into the UK and criminally exploited.
“We understand the concerns and harm that drugs cause in our communities and we continue to work tirelessly with partners to prevent organised criminality and the exploitation of vulnerable people in this way.”
Footage and information can be passed on to police via Live Chat at www.west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight or by calling 101.
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Source: https://mmpconnect.com/slavery-victim-dies-after-being-locked-in-burning-cannabis-factory/
