Lo hails announcement of new PSNI office to combat human trafficking

10.29.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 3rd Oct 2007

Alliance South Belfast MLA Anna Lo

South Belfast Alliance MLA Anna Lo has welcomed the announcement by the PSNI stating that they are to open an office in Belfast to crackdown on human trafficking. She stated that she is going to bring a motion to the Assembly to further highlight the distressing issue of people trafficking.

South Belfast MLA Anna Lo said: "I strongly welcome the news that the PSNI are opening a specialist unit in Belfast to focus specifically on combating human trafficking. I am also glad that they are taking a joined-up approach with police from the rest of the UK and Ireland to combat this problem. It is essential that all the authorities in the region work together on this.

"Last week, we had a massive response to an Alliance petition against human trafficking at Queen's University freshers' fair. I am going to put a motion before the Assembly on this issue. This practice wrecks people's lives and everything possible must be done to stamp out this abuse and exploitation

"A tragic story that highlights the horrific nature of human trafficking is that of a young Chinese woman, Qu Mei Na. She was murdered in North Belfast three years ago, and was thought to be a victim of human trafficking."

ENDS