A 30-year-old Lithuanian man was arrested in Wisbech this morning on suspicion of being an unlicensed gangmaster.

The arrest followied an operation by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) in Cambridgeshire.

The GLAA carried out warrants at several addresses in Wisbech in the early hours of Tuesday July 3, supported by partners at Cambridgeshire Police, Fenland District Council, the Department for Work and Pensions, the British Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

GLAA officers arrested the man under Section 12 of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004. He is currently being held at a police station while the investigation continues.

A spokesman for the GLAA said: “A total of 13 Lithuanian individuals have been taken to a nearby reception and are assisting the GLAA with its enquries. “The Red Cross team is on hand to offer them any practical help or emotional support they might need.”

The GLAA, formerly Gangmasters Licensing Authority, is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom regulating the supply of workers to the agricultural, horticultural and shellfish industries.