Evening Standard

The drug dealers using Instagram to target teens in the park

Police today vowed a crackdown on dealers using social media platforms such as Instagram to sell drugs to children following an Evening Standard investigation.

A senior Metropolitan Police detective went on the offensive after dealers were found posting pictures and videos of drugs on the social media app and encouraging users to contact them on encrypted messaging to avoid detection.

The revelations add to fears among police, teachers and charities that children out of school since March are being increasingly targeted. The summer holidays have been identified as a particularly risky time, when bored teenagers socialising in parks become an attractive target for dealers.

A child seeing a drugs post on Instagram can easily share the message with friends, quickly giving the dealer access to a large number of children. There also concerns that vulnerable youngsters are being recruited by dealers.

The Home Office said it was “unacceptable that criminals are able to exploit social media platforms to sell illegal drugs”. Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Rose said today: “The selling of drugs on social media will not be tolerated and we will take strong action against anyone reported to us.”

Det Ch Supt Simon Rose (Jeremy Selwyn)

A quarter of 16 to 24-year-olds have seen cannabis, cocaine or other illegal drugs for sale online, mostly on Instagram and Snapchat, according to a report by the think tank Volteface.

In 10 minutes, the Standard found criminals on Instagram recommending local suppliers of cocaine, cannabis and LSD. Once users make contact, the drugs are handed over at a meeting place, such as a park, or sent in the post. Instagram removed the accounts after we informed them.

Emojis are sometimes used as a code to advertise drugs without breaking social media rules. The Standard found several dealers on Instagram using emojis such as a horse representing ketamine or a nose or snowflake for cocaine. A rocket emoji can also denote cocaine, while a fire emoji means good-quality drugs. Following a drug dealer’s account or liking a post triggers suggestions to follow other dealers.

One with “weed” in its title provided a username for the encrypted messaging app Wickr to sell cannabis with the hashtags linked to drug connotations.

Another account posted: “We supply [we.ed] ~ [shro.oms] ~ [co.ke] ~ [Ca.rts] ~ [LSD]”, attempting to disguise their activities by adding a full stop in drug names so they wouldn’t appear in searches.

One mother in west London said she found posts from drug dealers on her teenage son’s Instagram. “The postings revealed when the dealers would be in certain areas. They sounded quite friendly — talking about a ‘bit of weed for sale’ — as they attempted to lure the teenagers in,” she said. “But I have no doubt these dealers are serious players offering harder drugs.

“If my child is being exposed to this, then many other children across London are also being targeted.”

Carol Homden, CEO of children’s charity Coram, said: “Following months away from education and with closures of activities this summer, there is real concern for young people going unseen and being targeted for exploitation.”

Francesca Nyman, service manager for The Children’s Society’s Stride initiative supporting victims of county lines exploitation, said: “While vulnerable children, including those in care, with learning difficulties, in poverty and who have been excluded from school, may be targeted, any child in any community can be groomed and lockdown may have presented new opportunities for criminals to exploit other young people.

“It’s more important than ever that parents, carers and anyone who comes into contact with young people looks out for signs that something is wrong and seeks help from children’s social care or the police if they are worried.”

This week, a court heard how 13-year-old Carson Price died after taking ecstasy. A 15-year-old boy arranged to sell three £2 “Donkey Kong” tablets over Snapchat and went to meet Carson outside a garage.

Carson died after being found unconscious in a park near his home in Hengoed, Caerphilly, in April last year.

Carson Price (PA)

His Snapchat messages led police to the teenage dealer, who gave officers the names of two men who he said had supplied him with drugs.

Scotland Yard is already worried about a violent crime spike this summer after July became the bloodiest month for killings in London so far this year, with 17 homicides.

There are also concerns that teenagers are being targeted at illegal music events, including block parties and warehouse raves. More than 530 such events have taken place in London since last month. On Saturday July 18 alone there were 86.

Mr Rose said the majority were being used by gangs as a cover to sell drugs. He said: “Organised crime isn’t going to stop, it’s just forced to do things differently.”

This weekend hundreds of Met officers will be on duty in an effort to shut down unlicensed music events.

There are also fears about the safety of vulnerable teenagers. Javed Khan, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said: “The pandemic has meant that most children have spent months ‘hidden’ from the view of professionals such as teachers. During this time, job losses, worsening mental health and increasing poverty have increased pressure on families.

"Many more children will now be at risk of exploitation. Gangs are capitalising on the lockdown situation to be able to exploit more children.”

Headteachers believe summer is “prime time” for teenagers to slip into gang life. Peter Groves, principal of Harris Boys’ Academy East Dulwich, told the Standard: “We would pick up really easily if there is a new pair of trainers, or a 15-year-old boy getting out of an Uber. But now we don’t know who they are mixing with.”

Mr Groves added that he fears “chicken-shop grooming” could pick up, when children are given free food and then asked to do a “favour” before being sucked into criminality.

Dealers’ most common method for supplying is to use a broadcast pay-as-you-go phone to send hundreds of messages to customers in one go. Mr Rose added: “London is different from the rest of the country. There’s a lot more youth, diversity, money and extremes.”

Instagram said anyone can report drugs being sold on the platform and its team of reviewers quickly remove content that breaches guidelines. It is aware of users changing tactics and even terminology to avoid detection.

A spokesman said: “We don’t allow the sale or purchase of illegal or prescription drugs on Instagram and we’ve removed any accounts brought to our attention.

“We work closely with the police to detect and keep illegal material off our platform and encourage anyone to report this kind of content.”

The Home Office said: “We expect all companies to abide by the law and social media companies need to take a proactive approach to stop this activity.”

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