Police seize £41,000 in cash from passenger at Stansted Airport

Police have seized £41,000 from the luggage of a passenger about to board a flight at Stansted Airport.

Essex Police officers seized the money as part of Project Aidant, a co-ordinated scheme with the National Crime Agency aimed at combatting modern slavery and human trafficking.

Essex Police's Detective Constable Mark Ghosh and other officers worked with Border Force to identify potential victims of trafficking and cash being transported through the Essex airport.

The £41,000 was seized from the luggage of a man travelling to Turkey.

As well as seizing the cash, police also stopped a young man disembarking a flight from Romania after he appeared to have bruising around his neck.

The team were concerned he was a potential victim of trafficking as he had no money and no means to contact the family member he claimed he was meeting.

He was refused entry to the UK and his details were passed to officers in Romania to ensure he is safeguarded on his return.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Coan, of the Essex and Kent Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Project Aidant incorporates weeks of action throughout the year targeting a specific theme around MSHT, it might be sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, labour exploitation or illicit finances.

"All commands across the force come together to look at all the opportunities we have to protect vulnerable people, disrupt illegal activity and catch the criminals responsible."