Police arrested seven people and seized jewellery, £40,000 in cash and several “expensive cars” in an operation targeting human trafficking in Bristol.
Officers arrested five men at their homes in South Bristol while two others were detained at Gatwick Airport.
They are being questioned about human trafficking, money laundering, cannabis production and documentation offences.
Searches have also been carried out at two car washes and a nightclub in Old Market.
Det Insp Chris Saunders said they were now “working with potential victims”.
“It’s clearly early days and one of the biggest issues which we face is that often, victims don’t see themselves as such,” he added.
“It takes time to establish their individual circumstances and what their experiences have been. Building their trust to support the investigation is crucial.”
