Brazilian taskforce frees more than 4,500 slaves after record number of raids on remote farms

Brazilian authorities rescued more than 4,500 slaves from captivity last year, carrying out a record number of raids on remote ranches and plantations, according to figures released this week by the country's work ministry. The government said its anti-slavery taskforce, a roaming unit designed to crack down on modern-day slavery, had freed 4,634 workers from slave-like conditions in 2008. The taskforce, which often works with armed members of the federal police, said it had undertaken 133 missions and visited 255 different farms in 2008. The ministry said former slaves had been paid £2.4m in compensation. Brazil officially abolished slavery in 1888 but activists believe thousands of impoverished Brazilians are still being lured into debt slavery.