Nepal earthquake child survivors 'sold as slaves' to British families

LONDON -- The Home Office is calling for a criminal probe into claims that child survivors of last year's devastating Nepal earthquake are being sold to British families as household slaves.

An investigation by The Sun revealed that boys and girls as young as 10 are being sold by criminal gangs operating in India to British families for £5250 ($7467). 

Home Secretary Theresa May responded to the undercover investigation urging the National Crime Agency (NCA) to investigate the newspaper findings. 

"We encourage The Sun to share its disturbing findings with the Police and National Crime Agency so that appropriate action can be taken against the vile criminals who profit from this trade," she said in a statement.

"No child, anywhere in the world, should be taken away from their home and forced to work in slavery," she added.

“That is why we introduced the landmark Modern Slavery Act last year, which included enhanced protections for potential child victims of slavery and sentences up to life imprisonment for those found guilty.”

An undercover reporter for The Sun posed as a person with a sick wife and elderly mother who was looking for an unpaid domestic servant.

A trader named as Makkhan Singh reportedly lined up children for the the reporter to pick from, saying: "We have supplied lads who have gone on to the UK."

“Take a Nepalese to England. They are good people. They are good at doing all the housework and they’re very good cooks. No one is going to come after you.”

“For the supply of a boy, minimum 500,000 rupees (£5,300). Then you will have other costs associated with taking him to the UK, but that’s your responsibility extra to what you pay us."

Last year, 3,266 children in the UK were identified as potential trafficking victims, a 40% increase on the year before, according to NCA figures. 

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