FIVE people have been arrested for immigration offences following a dawn raid at a travellers site in Codicote this morning (Friday).

Around 50 officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s tactical team, alongside colleagues from the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Dog Unit, executed the warrant at 5am.

Police received a tip off in the last 24 hours and acted quickly to make the arrests at the Pulmer Water traveller site, just off St Albans Road.

Four Chinese nationals, a woman and three men, are now being interviewed by officers at a place of safety in Hertfordshire.

It is suspected they had all been trafficked into the UK.

They are not thought to have been used as slaves, as are the allegations regarding a similar raid which took place at the weekend in Leighton Buzzard.

Two English men who also live at the site are also being spoken to as potential victims of crime.

Anyone with information or concerns is asked to contact Hertfordshire Constabulary via the non-emergency number, 101.

*The five men who have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences are all from Codicote and aged between 29 and 59.

They remain in police custody at this time.