This week, reporter Adrian Darbyshire wrote a series of features centered on allegations of organised crime and modern slavery linked to the island.

Here, he explains how he was shocked by what he discovered...

After more than 30 years in journalism here and abroad, it's rare that a local news item genuinely shocks me.

But the revelation that organized crime syndicates have allegedly infiltrated the island, and we are now home to the hidden victims of modern slavery, has done just that.

Gangs, it is claimed, are exploiting the island's lax regulation and migrant visa rules to facilitate transnational crime and launder criminal proceeds from cyber fraud factories set up in Southeast Asia.

Worse still, it is claimed that an attempt was made to set up a scam compound here.

Meanwhile, hundreds of migrants are said to have been duped into coming here with the promise of jobs, only to find themselves trapped in sub-standard accommodation and low-paid employment.

The issues have been highlighted thanks to island advocate Maria Bridson and are now the focus of a damning UN report.

All this could risk the island's international reputation.

First signs of the island having an issue with modern slavery emerged towards the end of last year.

We reported in December that six arrests had been made as part of a police investigation into human trafficking and organised immigration crime.

But few could have foreseen then the scale of the problem.

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