Stansted: Safeguarding team educate drivers about child exploitation

Safeguarding officers from our Op Raptor team led an operation at Stansted Airport that saw 178 taxis stopped and information about child exploitation handed to more than 200 drivers and passengers as part of County Lines Intensification Week.

The officers worked alongside colleagues from Stansted Airport’s Community Policing Team and Chelmsford City Council’s community safety officers at a vehicle checkpoint on the way into the airport.

The team gave out 221 business card-sized QR codes from the Children’s Society’s Look Closer campaign that contain information about exploitation and tell people what to do if they spot someone who concerns them.

County Lines drug dealers are known to groom youngsters by offering money or gifts and then force them to courier drugs and cash to unfamiliar places in other parts of the country via taxis or public transport.

The work at Stansted was the latest deployment of Operation Bumble, which began in October 2022 to highlight the signs of child exploitation. The team have also been active in Southend, Colchester, Braintree, Harlow and Grays.

Detective Sergeant Mark Ghosh coordinates Bumble and said the operation is succeeding in raising awareness of the issue:

“The main intention was to educate drivers about County Lines. They need to be aware of that children using taxis could be victims of exploitation.

“Previously, they told us they lacked the knowledge and confidence about who to report to. The positive sign is that now, drivers are showing us they’re keeping the information in their cars and know the signs to look for.

“Some were concerned that they wouldn’t be anonymous so we’re addressing that by directing them to the Children’s Society or Crimestoppers if that makes them feel more comfortable.”

Alongside proactive work in the community, the team have also been running training on spotting and reporting exploitation for a number of businesses, including a recent session for Nando’s delivered by the Serious Violence Unit’s Prevent Officer.

“The more people know about exploitation, the more we can do to safeguard victims,” added DS Ghosh. “If a child is being exploited, they may be carrying more than one mobile phone or have a large amount of receipts or cash and can’t explain why they have it in their possession.

“They may be a timid child travelling on their own or, alternatively, confrontational or aggressive because they are scared.

“They may appear out of place and may not know exactly where they’re going – they just know a general area.

“If this is the case, we’re asking people to make contact us or our partners so we’ve got a chance to safeguard these individuals as they may need our help.”

If you are concerned about a child and think it’s an emergency, call 999. If it’s not emergency, call 101. If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111.

Are you worried that a friend or someone you know may be being exploited through County Lines or organised criminal activity?

Maybe they are returning home late, staying out all night or even going missing for days or weeks at a time.

Are they suddenly being secretive about who they are talking to or where they are going?

Or perhaps you’ve noticed they have large amounts of money on them, or new clothing, jewellery or phones they wouldn’t be able to afford.

Through Fearless, young people can pass on information 100% anonymously to get help.

If you need help from police, call 101 or, if it's an emergency, always call 999.