Latest news with #JessPhillips
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Epoch Times
Gang Leaders to Face 10 Years in Jail for Forcing Children to Conceal Drugs
Gang leaders who force vulnerable people—including children—to hide drugs or cash in their bodies will face up to 10 years in prison, as part of a bill currently going through Parliament. The Home Office confirmed on Tuesday that the new criminal offence of 'coerced internal concealment' is being introduced to the Crime and Policing Bill. It will target a practice which involves people hiding items in their bodies to avoid detection when transporting goods from one location to another. Known by its street names as 'plugging,' 'stuffing,' or 'banking,' the method is typically employed by organised gangs to transport drugs, money, and sim cards, either by swallowing the items or hiding them inside of their bodies. This is often connected to County Lines drug operations, with estimates suggesting that tens of thousands of children are involved. 'Truly Evil' Internal concealment of foreign objects can be dangerous and even fatal, particularly if drug packages split open when inside the body. Announcing the measures on Tuesday, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said the new offence will go alongside other measures in the bill 'to turn the tables on gang leaders and hold them to account for exploiting children and vulnerable adults.' Related Stories 12/6/2024 3/15/2024 Phillips said, 'There is something truly evil about the gang leaders who degrade young girls, young boys and vulnerable adults in this way, forcing them to put their lives at risk.' Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips during her visit to the West Midlands Police control room in Birmingham, England, on Feb. 19, 2025. Joe Giddens/PA Wire 'As part of our Plan for Change, this government will give police and prosecutors the powers they need to dismantle these drug gangs entirely and secure convictions that reflect the severity of these crimes,' she added. County Lines County Lines are drug dealing networks, named for the mobile phone lines used to coordinate the drug sales often across county boundaries. They are run by 'Line Holders' who coordinate 'runners' to deliver drugs. Often, these runners are children and vulnerable adults, such as those with mental health problems or addictions. The Children's Society In order to break down the organised crime group peddling drugs and exploiting children, the government has invested £42 million this year into the County Lines Programme. The latest statistics from the programme show that since July 2024, police have shut down 1,225 lines and arrested 2,038 people, resulting in the charging of over 800 violent offenders. There were also 2,192 safeguarding referrals for vulnerable people and children. Cuckooing Another form of criminal exploitation associated with County Lines is 'cuckooing,' where drug dealers take over the homes of vulnerable people, such as drug addicts, the mentally ill, single parents, and even the elderly. Drug dealers will accommodate their runners at these properties because they are less conspicuous than using their own homes or hotels. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) says that while use of the properties may start out as consensual, like in cases where the resident is an addict, arrangements can 'quickly sour' and gang members may use violence to occupy the property. Last year's raids saw police forces visit 853 addresses used by drug dealers for cuckooing. File photo of British police officers dated Oct. 22, 2014. Joe Giddens/PA Wire County Lines are not limited to the drugs trade. Following a major operation in December 2024 which resulted in the arrest of 1,600 people, officers confiscated firearms and bladed weapons, which NPCC County Lines lead Commander Paul Brogden County Lines Evolving County Lines have typically been associated with drug running from cities to suburban and rural areas, but researchers and law enforcement say that the structure of these networks is changing. According to researchers from the universities of York, Liverpool, and Leeds, the term 'County Lines' is now outdated, because drug distribution has also evolved to encompass the local drug supply rather than the solely 'out-of-town' drug supply system originally considered typical of this form of organised crime. Researchers said in May that as both types of drugs networks involve the exploitation of the young and vulnerable, 'criminal exploitation' should be considered the defining characteristic of this crime and the focus of investigating officers across the UK. The NPCC said in November last year that it has also observed that County Lines are becoming more localised, with fewer lines running across police force jurisdictions. They found that external lines operating across force boundaries have reduced by 12.2 percent, while internal lines which start and end within the jurisdiction of one police force have increased by 232 percent, year-on-year.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Starmer to face grilling from Badenoch at Prime Minister's Questions
Update: Date: 11:44 BST Title: Minister apologises for grooming gangs report delay Content: Another story that's made political headlines in the UK this week, and which is likely to come up at PMQs today, is Home Office Minister Jess Phillips apology to MPs for a delay in the publication of a report on grooming gangs. In January, the government asked Baroness Louise Casey to lead a "rapid" three-month audit into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Conservative frontbencher Katie Lam said Baroness Casey's review, along with a framework for local grooming gang inquiries, had been due for publication in May and asked for an updated timeline. Phillips told MPs she was sorry for the "month's wait" but added "I've waited 14 years", a reference to the length of time the Conservatives were in government. The minister said Baroness Casey had requested a "short extension" to her work and that it was expected "very shortly". On the same day that the delay was announced, five women from across England who were groomed and abused as children or young adults told BBC Newsnight about the ongoing impact it has had on their lives. Update: Date: 11:39 BST Title: Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs - latest on how Trump's taxes affect the UK Content: As always, we can't be totally sure what Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will ask Keir Starmer this morning - but on the off chance it comes up, it's worth remembering the other big political and economic story of the day. It was announced earlier that the UK's been temporarily spared from US President Donald Trump's plans to double steel and aluminium tariffs from 25% to 50%. Trump's latest executive order raises import taxes for US-based firms buying from other countries as of today - but the levy remains at 25% for the UK. It follows a deal that was signed last month by the US and UK, removing levies on some of the UK's exports, including cars, steel and aluminium. A government spokesperson says the UK plans to continue working "with the US to implement our agreement", but shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith has accused Labour of leaving "businesses in limbo" via "botched negotiations". Update: Date: 11:36 BST Title: Starmer pictured leaving No 10 Content: The prime minister is officially on the move. With various documents and ring binders in hand, Keir Starmer is on his way to the House of Commons for this week's Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs). We'll soon have a view of the chamber at the top of the page, where you'll be able to watch the back and forth live from midday. Update: Date: 11:23 BST Title: A look at what's included in the new defence strategy Content: Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out the government's defence strategy for the next decade on Monday. This follows an external review of the UK's defence capabilities - and the government now plans to implement all of the review's 62 findings. Here's a quick look at the government's response: There was even more included in the announcement - you can take a read through the full plans. Update: Date: 11:14 BST Title: Starmer's defence strategy could be in the spotlight Content: On Monday, the prime minister set out the government's defence strategy for the next decade. The government plans to increase military spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income by 2027, and has set an ambition to then increase it to 3% by 2034. The defence review recommended the armed forces move to 'warfighting readiness' to deter growing threats faced by the UK. Among the measures included in the review, Starmer announced that the UK will build up to 12 new attack submarines. It's been a big political talking point in the UK this week - and Starmer's plans could be scrutinised by MPs in the House of Commons later. Update: Date: 11:08 BST Title: Chancellor is preparing defence against tough spending questions Content: Damian GrammaticasPolitical correspondent Rachel Reeves knows that when, next week, she unveils the numbers for government spending in the coming years some departments will be facing tough times. So today she's been keen to get her defence for those hard decisions in early. Explaining her "fiscal rules", which determine how much she can tax and spend, she says 'let's be clear: It is not me imposing borrowing limits on Government, those limits are the product of economic reality.' If the government doesn't stick to careful, predictable plans, she says, then the result will be a loss of confidence in the government's ability to control spending, resulting in higher borrowing costs, rising interest rates, economic turmoil. Her defence came with a hard political edge to it. The Conservatives and Reform UK, were they to form a government, would, she claims, simply repeat the 'reckless borrowing' seen under Liz Truss. And addressing worries among some Labour MPs and voters, who believe a Labour government should spend more, she says: 'I know that economic responsibility and social justice go hand-in-hand.' That's because, she says, running a tight ship is what will 'make a difference to the lives of working people' and 'protect them from economic irresponsibility that they will ultimately pay the price for'. Update: Date: 11:01 BST Title: It's nearly time for PMQs - here's what might come up this week Content: It's Wednesday, which means another Prime Minister's Questions is right around the corner. It's already been a busy week for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who on Monday set out what the government's defence strategy will be for the next decade. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch may well press the prime minister on the details of that, as well as the increasing numbers of small boat crossings after Saturday saw the highest number of migrants arriving in the UK by small boat so far this year. Also on the agenda could be a trade deal with the US - the government is currently working to iron out an agreement to bring Donald Trump's steel tariffs down to zero. You can follow all the key updates from today's session here - or watch for yourself by clicking watch live at the top of the page from 12:00 BST. The prime minister set out the government's updated strategy for defence on Monday - could that be a source of contention in today's PMQs?
The Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Government to create new law in drug trafficking crackdown
The Government is proposing a new law to criminalise the practice of "plugging", where gang leaders coerce vulnerable people into concealing drugs and cash inside their bodies. The amendment will be incorporated into the Crime and Policing Bill to combat county lines drug operations, where children and vulnerable adults are often forced to swallow or hide items, risking serious harm and fatal overdose. Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said the new offence aims to hold gang leaders accountable and could lead to a decade in prison. The government has committed £42 million to tackle county lines gangs, resulting in over 800 violent criminals charged and 1,200 drug lines closed since July 2024. Jack O'Neill of The Children's Society said that children forced to carry drugs are victims of abuse and exploitation.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Gangsters who force children to hide drugs in their bodies face 10-year sentence
Gang members who force children to conceal drugs in their bodies will face up to 10 years in jail under a new offence. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, is to create an offence of 'coerced internal concealment' to protect children who are exploited by gangs to carry drugs, money and SIM cards in their bodies in an attempt to hide them from police. The offence will be created through an amendment to Labour's Crime and Policing Bill to cut down on the practice, which is widely used by county lines and other gangs to transport drugs. The Home Office said the concealment method relied on gang members forcing or deceiving children and vulnerable adults into ingesting or hiding items inside bodily cavities. It warned that this was an 'extremely dangerous' practice because people could die if the drug packages broke open inside the body. It could also cause significant physical and psychological harm to those forced to do it. A Home Office spokesman said: 'Where senior gang figures are found to have coerced other individuals to ingest or carry specified items inside their bodies, they will face up to 10 years behind bars.' 'Truly evil' Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, said: 'There is something truly evil about the gang leaders who degrade young girls, young boys and vulnerable adults in this way, forcing them to put their lives at risk. 'This new offence will go alongside other measures in our landmark Crime and Policing Bill to turn the tables on the gang leaders and hold them to account for exploiting children and vulnerable adults. 'As part of our Plan for Change, this Government will give police and prosecutors the powers they need to dismantle these drug gangs entirely and secure convictions that reflect the severity of these crimes.' £42m to tackle county lines The Government has invested £42 million into a specific programme to tackle county lines gangs, which operate by transporting drugs often via train 'lines' from major cities or urban areas and selling them in other parts of the country. Since July last year, 1,200 county lines have been shut down and 2,000 people arrested, including more than 800 violent offenders controlling the drug operations. There were also more than 2,100 safeguarding referrals for children and vulnerable people. The Government's county lines programme provides specialist support for children and young people to escape the drugs trade. More than 320 children and young people have received dedicated specialist support since July last year. This can include one-to-one casework for young people and their families to help prevent exploitation or support their safe exit. The offence may be committed against victims of all ages. It will criminalise any case where a child is intentionally caused to internally conceal, and where an adult is coerced, compelled, controlled, manipulated or deceived into internally concealing a specified item for any criminal purpose.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Criminals to face jail over forcing children to conceal drugs under new offence
Gang leaders who force vulnerable people to hide drugs and cash in their bodies could face up to 10 years in prison under a change in the law. Ministers are seeking to create the new criminal offence to crack down on the action known as 'plugging' typically used by organised criminals to move goods from one place to another in county lines drug running. Children and vulnerable adults are forced to ingest or conceal the items in their bodies, which can cause significant harm and can be fatal if drug packages break open inside them, leading to an overdose. The move will be included as an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill currently going through Parliament. Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said: 'There is something truly evil about the gang leaders who degrade young girls, young boys and vulnerable adults in this way, forcing them to put their lives at risk. 'This new offence will go alongside other measures in our landmark Crime and Policing Bill to turn the tables on the gang leaders and hold them to account for exploiting children and vulnerable adults.' It comes as the Government committed to investing £42 million into a programme to tackle county lines gangs and support victims of the drugs trade. Since July 2024, more than 800 violent criminals involved in county lines have been charged through the programme's enforcement action and 1,200 drug lines have been closed, according to the Home Office. More than 2,100 safeguarding referrals for children and vulnerable people have also been made, it added. Jack O'Neill, of The Children's Society, said: 'Children forced to carry drugs in this way are subject to a form of abuse and exploitation that causes deep, long-lasting harm, and the law must reflect that. 'A clear legal definition of child criminal exploitation would help stop vulnerable children falling through the cracks and shift the focus onto the predators who profit from their abuse.'
