A young wealthy businessman lived a life of luxury with the help of a dozen ‘salves’ to build his waste management business. Police discovered 11 malnourished Polish men and a worker of Asian origin at a flat and two businesses of Shezada Mahboob, 26, in the West Midlands.
The workers in the businesses were paid less than £1 an hour and were forced to sleep on the site on stacks of wasted cardboard. A 52-year-old man was arrested as police raided CAP Recycling, a business of Mr Mahboob. Among the workers was a man suspected to have a broken shoulder while other showed signs of malnutrition and alcohol dependency, police said.
Shezada Mahboob and a 47-year-old Pakistan man were arrested in the Handsworth Wood area of Birmingham. Black Country Recycling, another of Mahboob’s businesses was raided.
Detective Inspector Colin Mattison of the West midlands Police said: “Police intelligence suggested eastern European men were being exploited at the unit and being paid £10 for working long hours. It's believed the men were taking advantage of these people were living luxurious lifestyles and driving in high-value cars.”
“Morden day slavery is considered a hidden crime. I’d urge members of the public to lookout for telltale signs like large numbers of people in multi-occupancy houses and people being ferried to and from addresses on vans or minibuses early in the morning and returning late at night.” DI Mattison added.
Mahboob has been bailed and released without charge.
