Traffickers jailed after exploiting victims at McDonald’s and bakery

Three traffickers who exploited 16 victims, with many of them forced to work at a McDonald’s branch and a bakery that supplied major supermarkets like Tesco and Asda, have been jailed for a combined total of 26 years.

The sentencing comes after many of the survivors bravely gave evidence against their exploiters – following support from a Justice and Care Navigator for nearly four years.

A new BBC documentary, Slavery on the High Street recently shined a light on the case – highlighting that well-known signs of modern slavery had been missed by the big companies for years. The show is available on iPlayer now.

The victims, many of whom were homeless, were told they would have a better life in the UK, but instead were forced to live in squalor and work up to 100 hours a week. Some were also subjected to sexual exploitation and domestic servitude.

Meanwhile, the criminal gang spent the hundreds of thousands of pounds of wages they stole from the victims on luxury cars, gold jewellery and a property in the Czech Republic.

The horrendous exploitation went on for four years before some of the victims courageously went to Czech police, who then contacted UK forces.

The survivors have faced numerous issues including trauma, addiction, medical problems due to the poor living conditions and lack of access to a doctor, immigration issues and challenges trusting others.

A Navigator began providing wraparound care to six survivors in January 2021, and has supported eight people to give evidence at the trial, which has been delayed multiple times due to factors including Covid and the barristers’ strike.

Zdenek Drevenak – one of the leaders of the gang – has been sentenced to 13 years, while Jiri Ceronhous was jailed for 9 years and Martin Slovjak for four years.

The survivors have spoken of the violence and fear the traffickers used to control them, with one man going by the pseudonym Tobias* telling the BBC: ‘We obeyed like mules. We feared for our lives. We were like robots; if he said we had to do something, we did it.’

Roman, a survivor who waived his legal right to anonymity for the documentary, spoke of the moment he walked free from his traffickers following a police operation. ‘That was the best feeling I’ve ever had. I was so happy it was over’, he said.

While the traffickers have been brought to justice, big questions remain over how the companies involved missed obvious red flags – including wages being paid into bank accounts in other people’s names, four people’s wages going into one bank account, and victims working up to 30 hours in one shift.

Debi Lloyd, Head of UK Counter Trafficking Operations at Justice and Care, said: ‘This has been a long-running and complex case and it has been our privilege to support the survivors.

‘These men and women faced horrific exploitation that no human being should ever be put through, and the courage they have shown throughout the investigation amid incredibly difficult circumstances has been astounding.

‘We also applaud the tireless work of the police involved in this case. This sentencing shows how our Navigators are essential in empowering survivors throughout the criminal justice process and enabling investigation teams to build strong cases.’

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy from the Central Specialist Crime Unit leading the investigation, said: ‘Our priority at the Met is to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking, targeting  dangerous and exploitative offenders as we continue to transform how we protect vulnerable people from harm.        

‘Modern slavery offenders are cruel and seek to benefit from people who often have hopes and dreams for a better life, forcing them into bleak conditions and taking advantage of them.        

‘By raising awareness, supporting victims and holding these criminals accountable, we can work towards eradicating modern slavery and human trafficking from our communities.’

McDonald’s and the supermarkets that used the bakery, which went into administration in 2022, have given statements to the BBC that can be read here.

*name changed to protect identity