Verulam pupils allegedly groomed to distribute drugs, investigation under way
Authorities are investigating claims that two Verulam primary-school pupils were recruited to distribute drugs and may have been sexually exploited. The allegations have not been tested in court.
Two primary school pupils in Verulam, aged 13 and 11, are allegedly involved in drug distribution and sexual exploitation, according to investigators. The allegations emerged after the 13-year-old pupil admitted to dealing drugs and prostituting herself for money and power. The investigation uncovered that the 13-year-old was part of a network distributing cocaine, rock, and mandrax, and had been arrested four times previously.
The 11-year-old is believed to have been recruited by her father to supply drugs to school children. Both girls are currently in the custody of their parents. The school's principal and teachers raised concerns about the girls' behavior over time, noting that unknown men stopped near the school fence and handed items to the pupils.
The investigation revealed that the minors were hiding drugs in school's fire hydrants and within their clothing. The community and authorities are calling for urgent intervention to address what they see as a systemic issue of drug trafficking, underage sexual exploitation, and moral decay in the area.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
