Eight people arrested by police in Devon and Cornwall investigating alleged slavery offences and people trafficking have been charged.

Police arrested the eight – five women and three men aged aged between 25 and 37 – during four raids in Plymouth and one in Bodmin earlier this week.

Officers said they had been charged with offences related to conspiracy over labour exploitation and money laundering.

They are due before magistrates later.

Those charged include:

Lenka Cmejlova, 32, of Union Street, PlymouthNela Dzurkova, 26, of Ford Park Road, PlymouthKaterina Kuriova, 35, of Saltash Road, Keyham, PlymouthJiri Sebelik, 37, of Union Street, PlymouthMartin Tancos, 35, of Saltash Road, PlymouthPetr Tancos, 35, of Ford Park Road, PlymouthSandra Tancosova, 25, of Flora Court, PlymouthRuzena Tancosova, 34, of Union Street, Plymouth

The suspects, all originally from eastern Europe, were arrested in raids which were part of Operation Triage, which was launched in March.

They were…