Warning issued in Doncaster after young people targeted by organised crime

Police officers in Doncaster are issuing a warning to parents, carers and those responsible for young people in the town, urging them to be mindful of the risks posed by organised crime.

Police officers in Doncaster are issuing a warning to parents, carers and those responsible for young people in the town, urging them to be mindful of the risks posed by organised crime.

Detective Inspector Steve Smith, who heads up Doncaster’s Op Fortify team to disrupt and tackle organised crime, says increasingly adult members of organised criminal groups (OCGs) are targeting young, vulnerable people.

“I know that many of our residents in Doncaster will be concerned about the presence of OCGs in our town, particularly one group operating in the Mexborough area., who we believe have been responsible for some serious incidents of violence, disorder and associated crime in and around the community.

“While OCGs are far from being a Doncaster-specific issue, they are a blight on communities across the country, we want to directly appeal to those adults living in Doncaster who have responsibility for a young person.

“Nationally, gangs are using coercion, threats of violence or physical harm to force youngsters to carry out illegal activities on their behalf.

“You may have heard this referred to as county lines, or child criminal exploitation.”

‘County Lines’ is used to refer to a specific model of drug dealing, whereby OCGs like the one operating in Mexborough use children or vulnerable adults to carry out illegal activity on their behalf, often resorting to exploitative tactics to ensure compliance. This includes child criminal exploitation.

Child criminal exploitation (CCE) happens when an individual or OCG takes advantage of an imbalance of power, i.e. adults taking advantage of children and young people. This imbalance of power means that adults coerce, manipulate and control those under 18 to engage in criminal activity. This may be done in exchange for something the child needs or wants, under the threat of violence, and is often for the financial advantage of the perpetrator.

DI Smith continued: “It’s really important to remember that while the actions of young people involved in criminality may seem consensual, there is often something sinister going on behind the scenes. They may be being threatened or harmed, or the threats may be directed towards their families and loved ones.

“CCE often happens through the use of technology, it doesn’t always have to involve physical contact. We therefore urge parents and those with responsibility for young people to have these important conversations, to identify if they have children at risk of being targeted by gangs.”

Image Credit: South Yorkshire Police