TOUGH anti-trafficking laws come into force across Scotland today, with offenders facing life imprisonment.

The Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act gives police and the courts new powers to seize property used in human trafficking and to impose longer sentences for other crimes which involve the offences, or where children are involved.

The maximum penalty for those found guilty of such crimes is now life imprisonment, with extra help to be provided for young victims.

Moves to address the growing problem began two years ago and anti-trafficking charity CARE for Scotland yesterday welcomed the change.

However, it also raised concerns that the legislation does not also criminalise the purchase of sex.

The charity’s policy officer, Dr Gordon Macdonald, said: “We warmly welcome the new powers that have come into force today to enable Scotland to take a real lead in tackling the scourge of modern-day slavery. Human trafficking has no place in our society and the Act passed by MSPs provides a strong response to those who are found guilty of perpetrating this vile crime. Especially welcome is the provision of child trafficking guardians to help support child victims who are especially vulnerable and we look forward to these guardians being introduced soon.”

However, he added: “While we believe the act will be broadly effective it is highly regrettable that at present, the purchase of sex is not criminalised here in Scotland. We know from international evidence that demand for paid sexual services fuels human trafficking and so it is vital we continue to debate the merits of this approach with a view to following Northern Ireland by making it illegal in Scotland to buy sex. With the commencement of these new powers, a strong signal will be sent that Scotland will not tolerate the trafficking, in any form, of other human beings.”

The act also gives authorities the power to detain vehicles and vessels used for human trafficking and brings the offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act to allow the seizure of assets.

It also places a duty on the Lord Advocate to produce instructions on the non-prosecution of victims.

Announcing the change, Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “We are sending a strong signal that Scotland is a hostile place for those who seek to profit from human suffering and we will not tolerate the trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable adults and children.”

Meanwhile, two British men have been remanded in custody charged with immigration offences after 18 Albanians were rescued from a sinking boat in the English Channel over the weekend.

Two children were among the group rescued off the Kent coast on Saturday.

Mark Stribling, 35, from Farnham, and 33-year-old Robert Stilwell, from Dartford, appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court and were ordered to remain in custody until another hearing on June 27.

A second vessel believed to be linked to the inflatable that got into trouble was found on the beach on Sunday at the village of Dymchurch and was seized by the authorities.

The incident has sparked fears that deaths seen in Greece or Italy could start to occur in the Channel, with French coastguard president Bernard Barron warning that smugglers are putting migrants onto a “sea filled with danger” in hopes of reaching the UK after security changes made it “virtually impossible” to do so via the Channel Tunnel or on ferries.

Barron said: “They operate across the length of the French and Belgian coastlines, between Ostend and into Normandy, finding new positions from where they can send the migrants towards England.”

The incident came after 17 suspected Albanian migrants and a British man wanted on suspicion of murder in Spain were detained after a catamaran arrived at Chichester Marina in West Sussex last Tuesday.

The 55-year-old man, who was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant, was also detained on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration, while the 17 Albanian men were held on suspicion of entering the UK illegally.