When I was 16, my parents borrowed £5000 to pay agents to find me work. I journeyed by plane, bus and lorry. It took three months to get to the UK. In France, with other Vietnamese boys, I was sealed in a crate which was placed inside a lorry. When we were met in England, I was told I must work off my debt. I was taken to a house to be a gardener in a cannabis farm. We were locked in, forced to work long hours. There were toxic chemicals. We slept and ate in the ‘farm’, the windows were sealed. When I asked for my money, I was threatened. Six months later the police raided the house. I didn’t speak English, I didn’t know what was happening. I didn’t know who to trust. No one believed I was 16, and I had no ID. I was taken to court and sentenced to 18 months in prison. After a year, the full facts emerged. I was released. ECPAT [Every Child Protected Against Trafficking] UK have helped me. I still have a criminal record. I don’t want to go home.
As told to the Human Trafficking Foundation
