Evil gangmasters who rule the cockle slave trade by fear

Look, I know it's a terrible story that highlights the perpetration of great injustices and great evils at work, but how can you take that headline seriously?
And furthermore, how come America has gangsters who make their money from the exciting and dangerous activities of drug-running, extortion, and so on, and we have gangsters who deal in the illegal trade of... cockles? I suppose it's a good thing really, but it's hardly The Sopranos, is it?