TWO men have been charged over alleged human trafficking offences after they were arrested from fishing boats.
The suspects were nicked from vessels off the coast of Mallaig, Highlands, and Tarbert, Argyll and Bute.
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The pre-planned multi-agency swoops involving Police Scotland and UK Border Force officials took place on Tuesday.
Cops apprehended a 50-year-old man after officers boarded a fishing vessel in the sea off Mallaig, a busy port.
While on the same day, police arrested a 38-year-old male skipper from a boat near Tarbert.
Two men from Ghana who were working on the vessel were led away by officers, according to the BBC.
Border Force speedboats were involved in the operations.
Reports will be sent to the procurator fiscal.
Detective Inspector Craig Faulds said: “Human trafficking and modern slavery are happening in our communities and this operation demonstrates our commitment to tackling this issue.
“We work closely with our partners to identify situations where this criminality is taking place and provide appropriate support to victims. However, we cannot do this alone.
“If you suspect modern slavery is happening in your community it is vital that you report this and enable us to protect victims and take action against those responsible for this exploitation.”
