Over one in ten teenage children face drug gang exploitation

British drug gangs are believed to have recruited well over 100,000 under-18s in the past year, with hundreds of thousands more approached, a new survey has revealed.

According to the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), twelve per cent of 13 to 17-year-olds reported being approached by criminals to either: “sell drugs; transport drugs; or store drugs, weapons or money”.

The Government-funded charity asked nearly 11,000 teenage children England and Wales to share their experience of exploitation and gangs.

‘Horrifying’

YEF found that eight per cent of respondents were asked to sell drugs, 7.1 per cent were asked to transport them, and 5.7 per cent were asked to store drugs, weapons or money.

It said: “Around a quarter of those who were approached to do one of these things went through with it — the equivalent of 120,000 13-17-year-olds in England and Wales.”

The survey revealed that the most common tactic used “to exploit teens into crime” was bribery with, criminals offering money, ‘goods’, drugs or alcohol. Gangs also used threats of violence and blackmail.

YEF Chief Executive Jon Yates said it is “horrifying how many children are being targeted” by drug gangs and called for “timely support” to help them “break free from this cycle of harm and violence”.

Drugs in school

In June, the results of an NASUWT survey of nearly 4,000 teachers showed that 19 per cent were aware of pupils using cannabis on school premises.

Other drugs reportedly being used by pupils while at school included ketamine, cocaine, and the ‘zombie drug’ spice.

NASUWT General Secretary Matt Wrack said illegal drugs and harmful activities were behind behavioural problems and a “lack of focus and interest in learning”.

Teachers told researchers that children “are being introduced to the idea that drug-taking is cool and harmless”, that they have become “volatile and disconnected”, and that they show a “lack of ambition”.