Police with sniffer dogs and knife arches swarmed an east London train station in the war on county lines drug gangs using the rail network.
Criminals exploit children as young as nine to courier crack, cocaine, heroin and cannabis via Stratford’s transport hub to smaller UK towns and cities.
Detective Superintendent Craig Payne, who leads British Transport Police’s specialist Taskforce, said the two-day “zero tolerance” blitz sought to identify individuals concealing illegal blades and substances.
On Tuesday, 30 people were searched after a positive reaction from dogs or refusing to walk through a metal detector, and 15 vulnerable young people safeguarded.
One person was arrested for supplying Class A drugs, another for travel fraud and a third detained under the Mental Health Act.
The following day, four males were held for offences including suspected Class A supply, breaching a criminal behaviour order, illegal entry into the UK and assault of staff at Stratford. Around £2,000 in cash was seized.
Officers focused on the Newham station after intelligence suggests youngsters had been recruited on social media apps such as Snapchat and TikTok.
Gang leaders entice them with illegal vape pens to sell at school, free food or clothing - but if drugs or money is lost, they quickly find themselves in debt bondage.
Victims can be forced to share indecent images of themselves as well as subjected to sexual abuse, violence and harassment as a method of repayment.
The Standard was invited out on patrol with the force’s uniformed and plain-clothes units. They were joined by teams from the Metropolitan Police, City of London Police, the National Crime Agency and ticket inspectors chasing fare dodgers.
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Speaking at the station close to Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, Det Supt Payne told the Standard: “Operations like this are conducted every day.
“If you chose to use children to conduct your criminal enterprises then we will find you and pursue you through the courts.”
Amanda Radley, BTP’s child safeguarding lead, added: “We have seen nine-year-olds being exploited through county lines. It just goes to show how children are vulnerable by virtue of their age.
“They don’t understand what they are involved in or maybe the threats being made against them are so strong.”
Ms Radley urged those in debt to gangs to seek help from independent partner agencies such as Catch 22 or St Giles Trust who offer one-to-one support for anyone thinking of exiting a gang.
She added: “You may have been told you won’t get help or had threats made against you or your family, but there are services out there. Speak to a trusted adult.
“We will be keen to seek those perpetrators abusing you. This is child abuse and we should have zero tolerance towards that.”
Detectives have been safeguarded hundreds of children often trafficked a long way from home in London.
Fourteen adults are charged with modern day slavery offences.
Lakan Illsley, 28, has been jailed for ten years after two vulnerable 16-year-old boys where found at Blackpool station.
One was in possession of 50 wraps of cocaine, 39 heroin deals, a burner phone and £300 in cash. The other had a knife on December 13, 2023.
Illsley was identified through phone messages and arrested at his girlfriend’s address, Stafford Crown Court heard.
Det Supt Craig Payne said: “Illsley is a nasty individual, who, despite being a father himself, coerced and exploited children into travelling miles from home to sell drugs.”
Dealers like Illsley are often shocked that a conviction for modern day slavery can result in them serving prison sentences on a sex offender wing.
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