In a disturbing revelation, a gang from the Czech Republic forced 16 victims into modern slavery, making them work at a McDonald’s branch and a factory supplying bread products to major UK supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose. According to a BBC investigation, the victims were exploited over a period of more than four years, with clear signs of forced labor going unnoticed.

The gang controlled the victims, who were mostly vulnerable individuals facing homelessness and addiction, by stealing nearly all their wages. Many of the victims lived in squalid conditions, including a leaking shed and an unheated caravan, while their labor funded the gang's lavish lifestyle.

Signs of modern slavery—such as wages for multiple victims being paid into one bank account and extreme working hours—were overlooked. For instance, one victim at McDonald’s worked a 30-hour shift, while others toiled up to 100 hours a week. Despite earning at least the minimum wage, the gang pocketed the majority of the pay.

Police finally intervened in October 2019 after victims managed to contact authorities in the Czech Republic, who tipped off British law enforcement. However, legal documents from the gang's trial, along with victim testimonies, show that warning signs were missed for years. Dame Sara Thornton, former UK anti-slavery commissioner, expressed concern about the failure to act on the red flags.

The gang, run by six family members, has been convicted in two criminal trials, with delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Both McDonald’s UK and the British Retail Consortium have pledged to learn from the case and improve systems for detecting potential exploitation in their supply chains.

The Cambridgeshire Police investigation revealed that had authorities been alerted earlier, the exploitation might have ended much sooner. The case raises serious concerns about the vulnerability of workers in supply chains and highlights the need for greater vigilance in spotting the signs of modern slavery.