THEY are among the most complex and painstaking of investigations, across international boundaries and involving a number of agencies. Human trafficking is one of the curses of the modern age as it has been in different forms over centuries.

The term covers a multitude of sins but at its heart lie more easily understood words like slavery, servitude and sexual exploitation.

It happens everywhere and is a major contributor to organised crime. Operations such as yesterday’s show agencies in Dorset have rightly put this abusive and violent global trade at the top of their priorities.