11:45 AM EDT, 09/30/2024 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with McDonald's response to a request for comment in the fourth paragraph.)

Signs that a gang forced 16 victims to work at either McDonald's (MCD) or a factory that supplied bread products to major supermarkets were missed for years, the BBC reported Monday.

Several signs of forced labor, including paying the wages of four men into one bank account, were not identified over the four years that the victims from the Czech Republic were exploited, according to the report.

Six members of a human trafficking network from the Czech Republic have been convicted in two criminal trails that were delayed due to the Covid pandemic, the BBC reported.

"Together with our franchisees, we have taken action to strengthen the ability of our people and systems to detect and deter potential risks," a spokesperson for McDonald's UK and Ireland told MT Newswires via email. "In addition, this year, we have begun a partnership with Unseen, a leading expert organisation that specialises in addressing modern slavery issues and helping businesses in mitigating any risks of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains."

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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