Cornwall migrant workers demand apology from police after farm boss arrest

The letter, signed by 189 workers, defends the bosses of the farm (Photo: Justinus Stanislaus)
The letter, signed by 189 workers, defends the bosses of the farm (Photo: Justinus Stanislaus)

Nearly 200 migrant farm workers have demanded an apology from the police after the arrest of their bosses over modern slavery allegations.

The farm, near Helston in Cornwall, was raided last week by police. The migrant workers, mainly from Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria, now say they feel like "victims".

Specialist officers executed a warrant at Bosahan Farm, which is a flower picking farm on the suspicion that modern slavery and gangmaster offences were taking place against migrant workers.

Three men were arrested on suspicion of the offences after the raid.

The letter, signed by 189 workers, defends the bosses of the farm, and say "morale has been affected".

The letter reads: "As workers, we contest this statement. We have come here voluntarily to work and are being treated well."

It says the "incorrect information" has made the workers feel like their bosses are being treated "badly".

The letter says the workers are being "treated well" and "the farmer has always been good to us and we feel that he has been treated very badly".

The release of the letter follows news of more than 100 migrant workers turning up at the police station to protest against their farm boss's arrest.

However, fourteen of the workers chose to leave the farm prior to the police raids, after they were spoken to by police and other agencies.

Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer explained the raid, saying: "There were reports into police of alleged labour abuse, alleged offence of modern slavery.

"Therein lies the dilemma - you have to at some point intervene and you just sift your way through the evidence."