Drug Supply and Organised Crime Plan 2019 2021 - Responsible Officer: Permjit Chadha, Community Safety Manager Author: Leo Hutchinson Effective ...
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Drug Supply and Organised Crime
Plan 2019 – 2021
Responsible Officer: Permjit Chadha, Community Safety Manager
Author: Leo Hutchinson
Effective date: March 2019
Review date: September 2019
Status and version: Draft subject to Partnership Board Approval
1
Content
Introduction 3
How the Strategy Will be Governed and Monitored? 4
What do We Aim to Achieve With this Plan? 5
What is Organised Crime? 5
What is County Lines? 5
Causal factors 6
Local experience 6
Local Assessment Process (LAP) 7
Indicators of Prevalence of Organised Crime Group (OCG) Activity in Hounslow 7
Statistical Indicators of Organised Crime Group (OCG) Activity in Hounslow 8
How Does Hounslow Compare with Other London Boroughs? 9
Strategic Themes and Principles 10
Information Sharing 10
Reduce Demand 12
What is our current position 12
What will we do 13
Reduce demand by identifying and disrupting those involved in low-level drug dealing 13
Work in Partnership to provide drug education to reduce demand for drugs 13
Reduce Supply 15
What is our current position 15
What will we do 16
Identify, Disrupt and Enforce Against Those Engaged in Drug Supply 16
Working in Partnership to Target Hotspot Locations 16
Reduce the Harm 18
What is our current position 18
What will we do 19
Protect young people at Risk of Child Sexual Exploitation 19
Protect vulnerable young people from being exploited through CCE/County Lines 20
Protect and safeguard vulnerable adults being exploited 21
Working in Partnership Protect the Wider Community from the Harm Caused by Drug 22
Supply and Associated Crime Issues
Appendices 24
Glossary
2
Introduction
The 2019-2021 Drug Supply and Organised Crime Plan sets out the Partnership’s approach to reduce the
harm cause by drug supply and organised crime groups: preventing and tackling drug supply and the impact
it has on the wider community. As part of this, the plan will tackle drugs to prevent address the activity of
organised crime groups whilst also protecting vulnerable people and the wider community affected by the
harm caused by drugs.
This document will provide strategic oversight on Hounslow’s intentions to address drug supply and
organised criminal groups within the borough. We aim to achieve this through means of effective
intelligence and information sharing; pursuing perpetrators of these crimes; preventing victimisation;
protecting vulnerable people and the wider community; and ensuring we are prepared to respond to the
issues of county lines and emerging trends.
The key principles of the plan have been developed considering the current scope of drug supply and
organised crime group activity within Hounslow. This has been highlighted by data and intelligence from
relevant agencies and a Local Assessment Process (LAP). This process was conducted by the Institute of
Community Safety (ICS) to better equip Hounslow Community Safety Partnership (CSPB) in its
understanding and need for response to both the existing and emerging issues associated with drug supply
and organised crime.
Reports from both the Home Office1 and Central Government2 suggest young people specifically are at
significant risk of being drawn into/exploited by organised crime groups our capital: also reflected by local
figures that highlight an increase in serious youth violence and knife enabled offences. Despite this, the
CSPB understand that drug supply and organised crime is not limited to young people and that drug supply
lays at the centre of the organised crime groups activity that seek to operate within our borough.
While organised crime covers a range of offences, involving many forms of crime (such as fraud, drugs,
cybercrime and counterfeit currency, kidnapping etc), this plan will focus on the following:
Drug supply;
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE); and
Preventing exploitation of vulnerable people by organised crime groups
Hounslow understand that the supply of illicit drugs is often partnered with many other forms of crime:
reflecting our modern approach to tackling sophisticated organised crime groups/networks. They often
included the likes of CSE, violent offending and exploitation of vulnerable adults. These represent the
offences that have identified to be committed alongside the supply of drugs in Hounslow.
The restructure of the Metropolitan Police Service in June 2018 means that local police respective to each
of the 32 boroughs have been merged: Hounslow making up the West Area Basic Command Unit (BCU)
alongside Hillingdon and Ealing. Whilst Hounslow is not considered to be a borough in the West Area with
gang issues, it does have a measured undercurrent of organised crime related issues. The murder of a
young person in May 2014 highlighted these issues and captured the attention of the local community and
media. The murder triggered the formation of an action plan developed by the Hounslow Safeguarding
Children’s Board (HSCB) which highlighted the need for a plan to address gangs and organised crime.
This Plan is the borough’s first to be implemented and the timescale of the document is from 2019 to
2021. It will be annually reviewed by the Community Safety Partnership Board to ensure that it coincides
with the rapidly changing shape of organised crime within the context of other regional or national policy
changes. The implementation of this plan will be reviewed and monitored by the new Crime and ASB
1 Preventing Gang and Youth Violence: Spotting Signals of Risk and Supporting Children and Young People
2 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ending-gang-and-youth-violence-cross-government-report
3
Strategy Group where quarterly performance updates will be presented.
The development of this Plan was fed and contributed into by the following local strategies, processes and
groups:
• Hounslow Youth Crime Prevention Strategy 2016-18
• Youth Crime Strategy Group (YCSG)
• Hounslow Safeguarding Children’s Board (HSCB)
• Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB)
• West Area Drugs Action Plan Strategy 2018 - 2019
• MPS Drugs Strategy 2017-2021
• Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB)
• Local Assessment Process Report 2017
• Youth Justice Plan 2017-2018
• Community Safety Strategy 2017-2020
• Youth Crime Strategy Prevention Group (YCSPG)
• Crime and ASB Strategy Group
How will the strategy be governed and monitored?
The Hounslow Community Safety Partnership Board is responsible for the successful delivery of the plan.
The new Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Strategy Group will monitor the performance of the plan
and ensure its’s successful delivery. The group will deliver and agreed action plan that will be used to
measure its success and will be made up of the following partners:
Community Safety
West Area BCU
Organised Crime Advisor
Public Health (Substance Misuse)
NHS Hounslow
Youth Offending
Children’s Safeguarding
Adult Safeguarding
Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC)
National Probation Service (NPS)
Education Services, LBH
Youth Services
Department for Work and Pensions (job centre plus)
Quarterly performance outcome updates will be reported into the group, where its members will hold
agencies to account for delivering against the targets in the interest of the public.
The West Area BCU has a dedicated Gangs Team which will work across all three boroughs within the
locality. This will enable the MPS to support both engagement and enforcement activities. However, unlike
most other London Boroughs, the Community Safety Team do not have an organised crime/gangs team. On
this basis, relevant areas of work relevant to the Local Authority will be lead on by respective directorates
and teams.
Effective information sharing is the basis for good partnership working and essential in tackling organised
crime. The success of this plan will heavily rely upon this to ensure outcomes are met. We will revise and
update current systems for new partners to join the Information Sharing Protocol. We will continue to share
information fairly and appropriately to support victims, those at risk and taking action against and to
4
support offenders and individuals flagged as vulnerable to offending behaviour.
The CSPB has a legal duty to ensure that the plan does not disadvantage any section of the community. An
Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out using the framework developed by the Council. The areas
that were considered included gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity/race and faith. The
assessment revealed that there could be a challenge around the disproportional representation of black and
ethnic minority groups (BME) within the criminal justice system: highlighted by the recent Lammy Review3.
The review emphasises that, despite making up just 14% of the population, BAME men and women make up
25% of prisoners. Additionally, over 40% of young people in custody are from BAME backgrounds.
To makes sure this plan does not disadvantage those of BME background, the Stop and Search Scrutiny
Panel will continue to monitor the use of stop and search. This will hold police to account with decisions
made to stop and search those with protected characteristics.
In Hounslow for the period of 2017-2018, White, Black and Mixed ethnic group were disproportionally
involved in First Time Entrant (FTE)4 offending. Asian and other ethnic group has negative figure which
means they are not disproportionally involved in FTE offending. White and black/black british groups
accounted for 54% and 21% of FTE offences respectively.
The Met engages with a variety of stakeholders including Independent Office for Police Conduct, Black
Police Association, community leaders and young people. Additionally, London boroughs have local
Community Monitoring Groups which scrutinise performance and practice. These are defined as ‘critical
friends’ holding police to account to ensure the fair and proper use of stop and search.
The Hounslow Safer Neighbourhood Board and Ward Panels will also be used to hold local police to
account. This will be done so through the presentation and scrutiny of stop and search data from Police on a
quarterly basis.
What do we aim to achieve with this plan?
By 2021, the Partnership aims to:
Reduce Demand;
Reduce Supply; and
Reduce the Harm
What is Organised Crime?
The National Crime Agency (NCA) define organised crime as serious crime planned, coordinated and
conducted by people working together on a continuing basis. According to the NCA, it is believed that the
motivation for organised crime groups is often, but not always, financial gain. Organised criminals working
together for a particular criminal activity or activities are called an organised crime group.
Many groups are often loose networks of criminals that come together for a specific criminal activity, acting
in different roles depending on their “skills” and “expertise”.
What is County Lines
County Lines’ is a national issue involving the extending of gang related activity (including drug dealing) into
new locations outside of a gang’s ‘home area’. A ‘county lines’ enterprise almost always involves
3 The Lammy Review - An independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
individuals in the Criminal Justice System
4 Young People entering the into the criminal justice system for the first time
5exploitation of vulnerable persons and this can involve both children and adults who require safeguarding.
According to an assessment conducted by the (NCA) National Crime Agency (County Lines, Gangs and
Safeguarding)5, the need for a multi-agency approach at a national, regional and local level has been
identified.
Many gangs and organised crime groups (OCGs) abuse the vulnerable and gain their assistance by using
violence or exploitation. Similarly, the exploitation of young people is a common factor, with groups often
recruiting children to work as ‘runners’. An updated publication by the NCA in 20166 (County Lines,
Violence, Exploitation and Drug Supply), re-emphasises upon the methodology behind expansion via county
lines: placing people with learning disabilities, issues with substance misuse and young people at significant
risk.
Causal factors
There are various sources of research around involvement and the lure of organised crime: much of it
centred around young people. However, there are a range of factors that can lead people of all ages into
organised criminal activity: as the EGYV report, published in 2011 sets out.
The report highlighted causal factors that can lead to people committing serious violent offences and
joining criminal groups:
Ill health in the family including mental ill health;
early childhood neglect and abuse;
social exclusion and early conduct disorders;
violent victimisation and repeated hospital visits;
early involvement in local gangs;
substance misuse;
homelessness
early and repeat offending;
poverty and deprivation;
perceived lack of available opportunities for engagement;
parental abuse or neglect; and
local attitudes to illegal economy.
These causal factors illustrate that there are multiple opportunities for services to engage with vulnerable
individuals and families at risk of becoming involved in organised crime. However, it also highlights the
broad range of factors that can influence people to become involved.
Although Hounslow will be adopting a holistic approach to reducing the harm caused by organised crime
groups, we acknowledge the fact that young people are a part of the cohort of individuals who are at risk
of being drawn into or being a victim of the associated crimes. The Hounslow Youth Crime Prevention
Strategy 2016-18 specifically sets out how the Local Authority, alongside its key partners, will work
collaboratively to prevent young people entering the criminal justice system (CJS) and improve their life
chances and prospects for the future.
Local Experience
It is recognised that drug dealing is an issue within Hounslow. It is also acknowledged that the drugs
market within the borough has very close links to Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal
Exploitation (CCE): with the national issue of “county lines” a significant factor within these crime types.
5 http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/620-NCA-Intelligence-Assessment-County-Lines-Gangs-and-
Safeguarding/file
6 http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/753-county-lines-gang-violence-exploitation-and-drug-supply-2016/file
6Hounslow understand that if these issues are not tackled via a more co-ordinated approach, the Borough
could develop a more serious issue with organised crime groups, similar to others in London.
In May 2017, Hounslow invited the Institute for Community Safety (ICS), commissioned by the Home
Office, to conduct a detailed analysis of what our frontline services have encountered with regards to gang
activity on the borough. Staff from a variety of partner agencies were interviewed to gain a picture of
issues in Hounslow. Agencies contributing included:
Community Enforcement
Safer Business Hounslow
Education Service
Police
Fire Service
Children’s Social Care
Youth Services
Youth Offending
Substance Misuse Services
Mental Health Services
Housing Services
NHS
Probation
The Local Assessment Process (LAP)
The Local Assessment Process (LAP) was conducted to identify issues associated with county lines including
child criminal exploitation (CCE), exploitation of vulnerable adults, child sexual exploitation (CSE) and drug
supply in Hounslow. This identified what local practitioners knew or believed about vulnerability at an
operational level; how the partner agencies work together operationally to address organised crime groups
and youth violence; and examined what blockages were perceived to effect delivery at a frontline level. The
review reflected the information gathered and included a similar range of partners as above.
The process identified an emerging issue with organised crime groups, violence and vulnerability that is
closely linked with drugs, criminal exploitation and CSE. Various services held intelligence on these areas
and the issues across the borough. This included knowledge of groups operating county lines out of the
borough and the exploitation of young children to facilitate this.
It was identified that the majority of the organised crime groups operating within Hounslow, supplying
drugs, were often from other London borough: non home-grown groups coming into Hounslow and
exploiting those from the borough to facilitate the sale of drugs. The number of home-grown groups were
believed to be limited.
The LAP highlighted frontline staff concerns about known hotspot areas and the use of local hotels for the
supply of drugs and exploitation of vulnerable young people. The local drug markets were thought to be
growing and represented both closed markets (locally known houses where individuals can buy drugs
from) and open markets (street dealing), that seem to be well established. Many of the interviewees
believed the money obtained from drugs and sexual exploitation to be driving much of the gang and
criminal activity in the borough.
The process highlighted the need for a strategic framework across the borough to tackle this issue, with a
broader approach to addressing vulnerability as well as enforcing against the supply of drugs and organised
groups/gangs.
A key feature the Local Assessment Process identified discrepancies between intelligence held by police
7and findings by this process. This has highlighted ineffective information sharing and gap in the effective
transfer of data and information between services.
Indicators of prevalence of organised crime group (OCG) activity in Hounslow
Hounslow is different from many other London Boroughs in that it does not have geographically based or
postcode located gangs. The number of offences involving young people, especially serious youth violence is
relatively low when compared with other Boroughs. There were 189 incidents involving serious youth
violence during the reporting period between April 2017- April 18.
However, Hounslow has a recognised undercurrent of gang activity and has established the workings of
organised crime group operating within the borough.
It is recognised that drugs, especially dealing, are a driver of crime on the Borough and SYV can be the
resultant consequence of this activity. The number of knife-involved incidents which have resulted in serious
injuries has increased across the capital, but Hounslow has managed to reduce the number of knife involved
injuries each quarter during the most recent reporting period and has experienced 116 incidents.
The effects of drug dealing are more widespread than simply violence and impacts upon child sexual
exploitation as well as other offending, which requires safeguarding measures to be put in place by police
and partner agencies. The situation is made worse by the victims often not wanting to co-operate or assist
police with prosecutions as they fear reprisals or that their own criminal involvement may result in
prosecution or other sanctions.
Statistical Indicators of organised crime group (OCG) activity in Hounslow
Violent offences (knife violence), drug supply and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) are often associated with
Organised Crime Group activity. The below statistics reflect the prevalence of these offences in Hounslow.
Victims
• Most victims of serious youth violence are males: 97 male victims and 6 female victims for the period
of 2017 -2018.
• The main victim age-range concentration is between 15 and 19 years: 30 of the 97 accounting for this
age bracket.
• 52% of seriously wounded victims of knife-enabled crime are under 25
• 35% (34) of victims within the 10 – 25 age group are male
• 4 of victims of cuckooing identified by the Community Risk Panel between July 2017- March 2018
• 8 of victims of cuckooing identified by Hounslow Housing between January 2018- August 2018
• 17 new cases heard at the Multi-Agency Sexual Exploitation Panel (MASE) from April 2017 to March
2018.
• 14 Police recorded Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) victims: 13 females and 1 males. This is below the
MPS average of 25.
Drugs Offences
• For the period of 2017-2018, there were 1216 drug related offences committed
• 1091 of these offences were for possession
• 121 of these offences were for intent to supply/drug trafficking
Locations
• There are a number of hotspots for reported drug supply, exploitation and youth violence in the
borough:
8i. Feltham and other parks
ii. Local hotels potentially used for drug supply and the sexual exploitation of young people
iii. The Channings
iv. School Road
How does Hounslow compare with other London Boroughs?
Hounslow’s active drugs market is highlighted upon when comparing drug activity across the West Area
and other London boroughs. Whilst Hounslow do not display the same issues with drug crimes as the likes
of Ealing and Lambeth, it must be acknowledged that the proximity of Ealing to Hounslow, and the fact
that organised crime groups operating in Hounslow from other boroughs are likely impacting upon drug
offences in the borough.
The number of drug trafficking offences recorded by police suggest organised crime group activity. As
defined by the Drug Trafficking Act 1994, the definition includes:
[“producing, supplying, transporting, importing, exporting or storing a controlled drug…also including the
retention or control by or on behalf of another person”]
9Strategic Themes and Principles
The aim of the 2019-2021 Drug Supply and Organised Crime Plan is to address drug supply and organised
crime groups in Hounslow: preventing and tackling drug supply and related exploitation. This requires a
strong partnership approach and will be guided by 3 key principles.
1. Reduce Demand - Seek to implement an early intervention approach to reduce demand from those
individuals that misuse drugs and are engaged in criminal offending or victims of criminal offending
2. Reduce Supply – Identify, target and disrupt those engaged in the production and distribution of
drugs through various means
3. Reduce harm - Safeguard vulnerable adults and children exploited through drugs supply and those
affected by the impact of substance misuse
Information Sharing
Hounslow intend to ensure that intelligence and data is used proactively to address the issues affecting
individuals and communities in the context of the three focal organised crime strands this plan will target.
Central to the Drug Supply and Organised Crime (DSOC) Plan will be the effective sharing of data and
information between stakeholders, partners and external organisations including schools and colleges,
health services, council services/teams and the police. As such, information sharing will be a continuous
theme within this plan: acting as the key component that will allow for the effective delivery of objectives
and targets set.
The Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI), Local Assessment Process (LAP), Strategic Assessment and the
Community Safety Partnership (CSPB) Development Workshop all highlighted that information and data
sharing and analysis was underdeveloped in Hounslow. Furthermore, the centralising of local police
analysts between 2012-2016 has reduced local analytical capacity, further emphasising upon the gaps
identified in the JTAI.
Following on from this, the use of intelligence from the LAP to form the CSPB’s strategic approach to
tackling drug supply and organised crime has further emphasised weaknesses in Hounslow’s use of data.
Until the current financial year, council services have not effectively record incidents of cuckooing: affecting
the ability to work in partnership to address the issue.
As part of the Community Safety Partnership’s (CSPB) recognition of this, we have committed to both
improving and developing our ability to share and analyse data across the partnership. Additionally, a time
limited working group has been established to address the identified issue of cuckooing in Hounslow.
In the effort to improve the way in which data and intelligence is used in Hounslow, the YOS is currently
working with the supplier of the YOS case management system to enable young people’s organised crime,
whether as victims or perpetrators, to be recorded in a way that enables the data to be retrieved efficiently.
10This will provide an improved intelligence product for the YOS to share in various relevant fora.
The CSPB will participate in the use of the West Area BCU operating the Police Tactical Tasking and Co-
ordination Group and LA Joint Tasking Group: both of which have an analytical product. This will enable the
mapping of crime hotspots and the targeting of these areas.
The CSPB will work with Police Neighbourhood and Partnership Teams from West Area Basic Command Unit
to ensure the effective flow of information and intelligence between the partnership and the Police.
In order to improve data sharing, the Council have also developed the Strategic Board Chair’s meeting
which is expected to encourage more joined-up action. The meeting is intended to strengthen strategic
partnership working between the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB); Hounslow Safeguarding Children’s
Board (HSCB) and the Community Safety Partnership Board (CSPB). This is an aspiration shared by all three
boards and we will seek to work collaboratively via regular meetings between the chairs of each of the
three boards to achieve this. These regular meetings will include the following standing agenda items:
• Information sharing
• Reducing duplication of work brought to the boards
• Exploring methods that would continue to develop and strengthen the links between the three
boards
The CSPB have also devised an information sharing process which makes clear the linkages and
information sharing pathways that will be adopted to ensure effective delivery of this plan, as shown by
Fig 1.
Operationally, this will mean safeguarding and risk panels will be responsible for ensuring that any
intelligence or cases relating to cross-cutting themes are shared with the relevant panels. An example of
this would be the MARAC chair identifying child sexual exploitation in a case brought to the panel, being
obligated to share this information with the chair of the MASE panel.
Fig 1.
This new methodology of data sharing is expected to improve on the existing process as the sharing of
any intelligence will lead to a referral to the relevant panel where partners can collectively address the
11issues concerned.
In order to improve the flow of information between the police and the council, the West Area Police
Tactical Tasking and Coordination Group (TTCG) will include representation from the Council: the Head
of Community Safety and Enforcement and the Enforcement Team Manager. This is expected to improve
the speed at which Hounslow identify crime hotpot areas and emerging crime trend issues.
As part of the Community Safety Partnership’s acknowledgement of the gap in information sharing, the
CSPB will commit to improving how data and information is used in Hounslow. This includes the recent
formation of a time limited working group that assess’ the current capacity to analyse data and explores
how this can be maximised with existing and potentially proposed resources.
12Reduce Demand
What We Want to Do
What is Our Current Position?
The Community Safety Partnership understand that reducing the demand for drugs must be tackled
alongside the supply of drugs. It is anticipated that this would provide a solution to the drugs and organised
crime issues within Hounslow. However, for the benefit of the structure of this plan, these two strategic
themed areas will be mentioned separately.
Whilst drug supply is often understood to be conducted by organised groups, it is widely recognised that
lower level street dealing is also an issue within Hounslow. Those that commit lower level street-dealing
offences are normally drug users: supplying drugs in return for receiving illicit substances from organised
criminal groups operating in the area.
Problematic drug users often have multiple vulnerabilities, mental health being one common factor, in
addition to the addiction itself which may lead to acquisitive crime as well as drug dealing. The latest Public
Health England ‘Why Invest’ evidence review (2017) suggests that around 45% of acquisitive crimes are
committed by heroin/crack users: including drug related offences
Around 1,100 adults and around 80 young people access formal drug treatment services each year in
Hounslow. Many more access services for harm reduction provision, including the needle exchanges and for
aftercare and recovery activities. The new adult drug and alcohol treatment service, ‘ARC Hounslow’,
continues to work with drug users in the criminal justice system, providing treatment options, including
support for those on Drug Rehabilitation Requirements (DRR), an alternative Court Order to Custody for
those whose offending is considered to be driven by drug addiction.
The service utilises MOPAC funding to carry out the assessment and referral provision for those in police
custody where substance misuse issues are identified, completing voluntary and required assessments in
the community. They also carry out ‘in reach’ support to feeder prisons for Hounslow, visiting prisoners
who are going to return to the community and have substance misuse issues, to ensure continuity of care
on release and thus to reduce reoffending.
The Community Safety Partnership acknowledge the links between lower-level drug dealing and substance
misuse and currently support the work of Public Health through London Crime Prevention Funding (LCPF)
provided to the Drugs Intervention Programme (DIP). This service provides interventions for those whose
substance misuse is problematic and has lead to criminal behaviour. However, Due to the LCPF money being
a grant provided by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), there is no guarantee that financial
contributions to this service will continue due to consistent reductions to funding and some London
boroughs choosing not to fund their DIP.
Over the period of 2017-18, there were a total of 1,216 drug related offences. Whilst this represents a
reduction in these offences compared with the previous year, Hounslow recognise that the drugs market in
Hounslow is growing and the Community Safety Partnership will undertake the challenge of reducing the
13demand for drugs within the borough. It must also be considered that, in a time of reductions to funding
notably from MOPAC, there is a lack of clarity as to what drug service projects may be able to continue to be
funded through the Community Safety Partnership MOPAC allocation.
For the period of 2016-17, Hounslow saw a 9% increase in the number of drug-related offences committed
by young people: with 14% of offenders in possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply. This has led
to the understanding that there is a need to reduce substance misuse related to youth offending.
What We Will Do
Reduce demand by identifying and disrupting those involved in low-level drug dealing
Public Health will continue to commission drug and alcohol treatment and prevention services for Hounslow.
A tender was completed in April 2018, awarding a contract for the delivery of both youth and adult services
to CNWL NHS Trust, In partnership with Phoenix Futures, from July 2018 for a minimum of three years. The
new service provider will work with health, criminal justice and social care partners in partnership to improve
health and wellbeing, quality of life and healthcare and personal support.
The CSPB anticipate that the provision of holistic community drugs and alcohol treatment will support the
work to reduce crime and reoffending: in this case, disrupting the supply of drugs by low level street dealers
as well as treating addictions which drive up acquisitive and violent crime.
The provision of holistic support to disrupt the supply of low-level dealing will also be addressed through
commissioning a range of services under the LIFE (Living Independently For Everyone) Project. The project
supports vulnerable people (16+) to live independently. As part of this, the Integrated Support Service
(delivered through Hestia Housing and Support) provide key work support to vulnerable people around
holistic outcomes including addressing substance misuse issues and avoiding causing/risk of harm. The
service supports up over 800 people at any one time with a range of vulnerabilities, including Young People,
Older People, People with Mental Health problems and Learning Disabilities, Homeless People and People
with Substance Misuse Problems.
Police will continue to act on intelligence to target and prosecute individuals involved with drug dealing. This
will be executed through a range of covert operational tactics designed to effectively target and tackle
lower-level dealing.
Intelligence will be gathered from local communities, partner organisations and relevant forums that will
highlight local issues relating to low level dealing on the street or local estates. The Reducing Anti-Social
Behaviour Group (RAG) will be a key component in the provision of intelligence led operations and is a
meeting between Police and Local Authority Housing discussing ASB issues including the supply of drugs.
West Area Police will also undertake a community-focused, problem solving approach to criminal
activity/ASB. This will include working with all partner agencies to tackle the problem on a short, medium
and long-term basis. This could involve police enforcement; collaborating with trading standards to perform
test purchasing of alcohol and knives; and working with local authority (and registered social landlords)
housing to coordinate a robust response to ASB and crime on estates and social housing.
The YOS will continue to provide bespoke interventions relevant to the needs of the young person accessing
the service. Interventions will often include establishing awareness of their offences and the consequences;
work to promote victim empathy; and if the young person is not in education, training or employment
careers guidance or work to return to school will be provided as appropriate. However, the intervention
often will be based on a screening tool designed to identify criminogenic factors of concern.
In some cases, the safety of the young person and/or family members suggest that relocation is necessary.
In these cases, the YOS will work with partners to facilitate relocation and to enable any support services
required to be provided in the new area.
14Work in Partnership to provide drug education to reduce demand for drugs
The Community Safety Partnership are committed to work in collectively to educate both professionals and
young people exposed to the risks associated with drugs.
The young people’s drug service HYPE, will provide two workers to carry out both one to one support and
treatment. They will also continue providing prevention and education activities through universal and
targeted settings: including schools and services such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
(CAMHS), Targeted Mental Health Service (TAHMS) and Looked After Children. The workers will be closely
aligned to the youth workers in the Youth Offending Service (YOS) as well as the young people’s substance
misuse lead who has been employed for Lookahead’s Supported Housing provision. The cross-service
working will create a young people’s substance misuse network, ensuring resources are maximised and
shared learning benefits young people in the borough.
As part of the CSPB commitment to provide drug education in order to reduce the demand for drugs, the
West Area Police will continue to deliver the Safer Schools and Education prevention messages/diversion
programmes. This will also include sign-posting those who display risk behaviours to relevant services like
HYPE.
Via Police Schools Officers, support will be provided to schools, other education premises, children homes,
Feltham Youth Offending Institute and other relevant services. The aim will be to afford our most vulnerable
with the necessary skills and confidence to limit the opportunities to take drugs or for gang recruitment.
Officers will provide:
The types of harmful drugs and their effects
Identifying risk behaviours in young people involved with gangs (for professionals)
The consequences of carrying a knife
Knife arches – to identify young people carrying knives in school
2019-2020 Targets
Ensure 100% of primary (targeting year 6) and secondary
schools are notified of the HYPE service and given drug
awareness information
Increase the number of secondary schools accepting HYPE’s
service to deliver drug awareness in schools by 22% (11)
Carry out a minimum of 8 targeted drug education sessions to
identified key groups of young people, not including schools
Police to deliver [INSERT] joint drug education sessions to
primary and secondary schools, alongside Public Health.
15Reduce Supply
What We want to Do?
What is our Current Position?
According to the Metropolitan Police statistics, Hounslow are below the London average of recorded drugs
offences, with a total of 1,216 for the period of 2017-2018. The average for London stood at 3,018. The
recorded figures included offences such as Possession, drug trafficking and “other”. This is highlighted by
the below diagram.
Despite being below the London average for drug related offences, the drugs market within Hounslow has
expanded within the last 6 years: with OCGs from various parts of London, suppling drugs within and from
our locality. This is described as County Lines:
“[…] urban gangs supplying drugs to suburban areas and market and coastal towns using dedicated mobile
phone lines or “deal lines”.
Whilst Hounslow is not a suburban area or coastal town, the principal remains the same: with OCGs
operating within and outside of Hounslow, supplying drugs in our locality and neighbouring localities
respectively.
Through various sources of intelligence, the Community Safety Partnership are aware of a number of
16vulnerable hotspots across the borough. These include problem estates, local parks and side streets/ alleys
that are either secluded or poorly lit. The CSPB acknowledge the need to tackle both problem individuals
and problem locations in order to address the issue of drugs supply within the borough.
What We Will Do?
Identify, Disrupt and Enforce Against Those Engaged in Drug Supply
The Community Safety Partnership (CSPB) are committed to ensuring those who are involved in drug supply
are targeted and enforced against. This will involve joint operations involving multiple agencies and
organisations. This has been reinforced by the West Area BCU developing a Drugs Action Plan that commits
to “work in partnership with the CSPB” to address drug supply.
Hounslow Officers in the West Area BCU conducted Operation Buxton over the course of a year, proactively
targeting a large scale, organised and lucrative drug supply line operating in Hounslow Town Centre. The
operation included extensive covert tactics including mobile/foot surveillance and use of test purchase. This
was the first operation of its kind and scale at Hounslow in over a decade. As part of the CSPB commitment
to identify, disrupt and enforce against those who supply drugs in Hounslow, future operations will be
conducted jointly.
Through Police intelligence, the CSPB have identified that “knife enabled crime and serious youth violence
are often linked to drug supply”. This intelligence has led to the West Area Police being tasked with
additional focus being placed on potential “gang” members and habitual knife carriers (HKCs) concerned in
criminality. This will involve intelligence led proactivity including stop and search.
The CSPB will work through Public Health to treat those engaged in drug supply, coming through the
criminal justice system. This will include treatment provision for those on Drug Rehabilitation Requirements
(DRRs), working with Police Custody to encourage referrals into treatment for those whose offending is
linked to drug addiction (particularly in connection to acquisitive crime) and work in prisons to connect
those who have drug problems back to the community treatment service on release. All such activities,
alongside the provision of quality treatment in the community, will contribute towards the reduction of and
affecting drug related crime in Hounslow.
Working in Partnership to Target Hotspot Locations
Hounslow Council operate a Joint Tasking Group with partners which has been redesigned to focus on
problem places and will meet no less than monthly to:
Identify priority anti-social behaviour, criminality and problem hot-spots;
Task and prioritise interventions by the council, the Hounslow Police team and partners;
Improve communication, information exchange and intelligence use;
Review data;
Reduce fear of crime; and
Assess progress.
As part of this, the group discuss hotspot areas for drugs misuse and supply: developing and monitoring how
appropriately placed agencies/partners will tackle the issue. In the brief period since the group’s operational
approach was overhauled, there have been partnership successes in reducing the impact of drug dealing in
Feltham Park and other smaller locations.
As part of the CSPB commitment to improve effective targeting of hotspot locations, the Joint Tasking Group
will include Public Health representation from August 2018. This will allow for both an enforcement and
referral to treatment approach to be adopted during tasking operations in areas highlighted as issues for
drug dealing and/or taking.
17The West Area Police Tactical Tasking and Coordination Group (TTCG) also addresses problem locations, and
boasts representation from a number of Council partners. This group will use intelligence to task officers
and partners to work in partnership to reduce crime: including the supply of drugs.
In addition to the use of partnership forums, the Community Safety Partnership will identify hotspot
locations through effective information sharing: across the local authority, MPS and community
engagement. Forums such as the Joint Tasking Group, TTCG, Safer Neighbourhood Board and Ward Panels
will be used to gather intelligence on vulnerable/problem locations.
Hounslow Housing will continue to operate a joint response to tackling drug supply on estates alongside
Community Enforcement, Estate Police and Local Police. This involves the use of the Reducing Anti-Social
Behaviour Group (RAG): a Police, Local Authority housing and Local Authority enforcement team meeting to
address anti-social behaviour.
Targets for 2019 – 2020
• Deliver 4 proactive joint operations that identify, disrupt and
enforce against those supplying drugs
• Develop in partnership a ‘problem location’ list based on
intelligence that will be updated quarterly and shared between
relevant agencies
18Reduce the Harm
What We Want to Do
What Is Our Current Position
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is often a component of drug supply by organised criminal groups (OCGs).
Hounslow remain committed to understanding and responding to the challenges of CSE and Missing Young
People both at a strategic and operational level.
It is common for organised crime groups to groom young people, often using other vulnerable young people
to do so, to take drugs and other substances (initially for free): offering friendship and social status. This can
result in members of these groups asking for payment for the free drugs/alcohol and the young people
agreeing to sell drugs or take part in sexual acts as repayment.
There were 23 cases referred in to MASE between April 2017-March 2018 with 17 cases accepted on to the
MASE cohort. Comparative data from the previous year evidences between April 2016-March 2017 there
were 40 new cases referred to MASE. Of these 40 cases 19 were accepted onto the MASE cohort. This
demonstrates increased knowledge and awareness of MASE as the number of case referred and accepted has
significantly increased. On analysis of cases referred that were not accepted on to cohort there were no
emerging common themes for the cases not meeting the MASE threshold criteria. For example, there were
cases where the primary concerns related to other risk factors such as domestic abuse of child criminal
exploitation. In such cases the referrer is provided signposting information to other relevant safeguarding
panels within Hounslow such as MARAC, Concordia, Risk of Harm, MAPPA and Community Risk Panel.
Police data taken from the Safeguarding Dashboard shows 14 CSE victims since August 2017 to June 2018.
This is below the MPS average of 25 victims during this period. However, these figures are dependent on
flagging compliance on the reports. There have been 9 Child Abduction Warning Notices issued
Criminal exploitation in relation to drugs supply is a growing problem: with evidence of young people’s
involvement in supply both locally and in neighbouring boroughs and beyond. This phenomenon is known as
‘County Lines’ involving the supply of controlled drugs and other contraband from metropolitan areas into
suburban or coastal locations.
It is understood that many young people who go missing are at risk and vulnerable to many forms of
exploitation. Hounslow police have had 808 missing individuals reported in 12 months to May 2018. June
2017 saw Hounslow police record the highest volume in a month, with 116 people going missing, 25 of
which were repeat missing persons. The split between adult and children going missing is approximately
60% adults and 40% children. In the same period, the West Area BCU have recorded 12 individuals as
absent. These were all children. The peak month for absenteeism was September 2017, which may
correlate with the return to school after the summer period.
19In 2017 the Exploitation and Vulnerabilities Coordinator created a Missing from Home and Missing from
Care referral pathway with integrated practice guidance in line with safeguarding policy and procedure to
ensure that Children’s Services’ response to missing children was consistently robust.
Children who go missing from Home
There were 181 children reported missing from home for this reporting period with 261 missing episodes
which is a slight decrease from reporting period 2016/17 when 190 children were reported missing from home
in 294 episodes. The number of children missing from home subject to CSE procedures increased slightly
from the previous year from 8 to 10 children in 2017/18. There has been a slight increase in the number of
children open to MASE where the typology of suspected harm pertains to ‘gangs’ and there are concerns that
the child may be victim of CSE and CCE which may explain the slight increase. There has been a positive
reduction in the number and frequency of children missing from home which could be correlated to an increase
in professional’s knowledge, experience and skills with working with missing children and the referral
pathways being embedded in to every day practice.
Children who go missing from care
There were 38 children who went missing from care during this reporting period during 294 episodes. This is
a significant improvement comparative to the previous year where 57 children were reported missing from
care on 313 episodes. It is significant that the number of children missing from care has halved since 2014,
and the number of missing episodes has also steadily decreased. There has been a reduction in the number of
children missing from care subject to CSE procedures which has steadily reduced since 2014 each year from
19 to 13 to 7 with 5 missing between 2017-18.
In relation to children’s whereabouts, nearly half of the episodes in which a child was reported missing from
care, the Local Authority were aware of their location which has also increased 5% from the previous year.
This data clearly indicates that significant improvements have been made in relation to the impact of services
put in place to safeguard children missing from care. Moving forward a targeted area of work will be to reduce
the number and frequency of missing episodes for children in care.
When a young person returns from a missing episode the local police will conduct a ‘Safe and Well’ visit.
The young person is additionally offered an independent return interview to establish the reasons they have
gone missing and enable their support needs to be considered.
The Local Assessment Process (LAP) identified a range of issues relating to the exploitation of vulnerable
young people and adults. Intelligence from key agencies highlighted that several young people have been
arrested and/or charged with possession or possession with intent to supply drugs which is likely to be an
indicator of county lines and our young people being exploited to “run” drugs within the borough
The exploitation of vulnerable people is central to county lines and the way in which OCGs operate. The
Ending Gang Violence and Exploitation publication highlights that young people are often groomed and/or
coerced into moving or selling drugs. However, it is also understood that vulnerable adults are equally at risk
of exploitation by organised crime groups with the homes of vulnerable adults often being taken over as a
base from which drugs can be sold or used. Those with a dependency on drugs such as heroin and crack
cocaine and adults with issues of mental ill health are often exploited by organised crime groups to either
sell drugs or provide a space for drugs to be distributed from.
Cuckooing is a common tactic used by organised crime groups and involves the taking over the home of a
vulnerable person in order to use it as a base for drug dealing. The Integrated Offender Management (IOM)
process has identified a number of vulnerable people targeted in this way. Many of these individuals are in
supported housing or/and have mental health and/or substance misuse issues. Intelligence from across the
partnership has also identified this with 12 cases deemed to have involved the exploitation of a vulnerable
person to use their property to facilitate the sale or of drugs.
The Community Safety Partnership acknowledge that, aside from the criminal and safeguarding concerns
associated with the drugs market in Hounslow, there is a need to protect the wider community. This would
include those who are neither exploited, nor committing offences, but are affected through the impact of
20the supply of drugs in their local area. The CSPB are committed to ensuring the concerns of the wider
community are addressed as proactively, and with as much emphasis, as the partnership target those
committing offences and those vulnerable to exploitation.
What Will We Do
Protect young people at Risk of Child Sexual Exploitation
As part of the commitment to work collaboratively to safeguard those at risk of CSE, Hounslow will continue
to operate the Multi Agency Sexual Exploitation (MASE) Panel. This Panel operates reporting to the
Hounslow Safeguarding Children’s Board.
Hounslow’s Multi-Agency Sexual Exploitation (MASE) panel follows the Victim, Offender, Locations of
concern and Themes (VOLT) format as stipulated in the July 2017 CSE Protocols. Hounslow’s MASE meetings
are separated in to the ‘Operational MASE panel’ and ‘Strategic MASE panel’ which both occur monthly and
are attended by Children’s Services, Police, Education, Community Safety, Substance Misuse, Health and
Youth Offending. When applicable key organisations are requested to attend the meeting in order to share
information and knowledge. Third sector specialist organisations working to tackle CSE within the borough
are also invited to attend MASE and present on their thematic analysis and finding to bolster a partnership
approach to CSE.
As part of a new Initiative the Council is undertaking mapping and mapping meeting for cohorts identified as
at-risk of CSE. Mapping and mapping meetings provide a forum to analysis extra-familial risk through a
multi-disciplinary approach.
Following the merger of Hounslow, Hillingdon and Ealing Police (West Area BCU) in June 2018, the Police
CSE Team now sits within the Safeguarding Hub of the West Area: all based in Hounslow.
As part of the MPS commitment to protecting young people at risk of CSE, they work very closely with the
internal Missing Persons team; Gangs Unit; Integrated Offender Managers; Youth Offending Teams (YOT);
Schools Officers, Missing Persons coordinators and Child Abuse & Sexual Offences teams; as well as the
response teams. However, it is understood that no single agency can effectively tackle the exploitation of
vulnerable young people and as part of this, the Community Safety Partnership will support the Hounslow
Safeguarding Childrens Board to ensure agencies work collaboratively to safeguard those at risk.
Strong partner relationships with care homes, foster carers, Local Authority services (including YOT,
Community Safety, Safeguarding Adults, Housing and Public Health); probation; Schools and Education allow
for CSE to effectively be addressed. As part of this, the CSPB will commit to ensuring the delivery of effective
collaborative (police led) operations.
There will be a continuation of the frequent use of Operation Amethyst across the West Area. The actions of
staff in commercial premises will be “tested” to see how they deal when faced with stereotypical CSE
behaviours. Premises will include hotels and fast food stores. Following “testing”, officers will discuss with
managers what took place and feedback appropriate points of learning and offer future support.
Protect vulnerable young people from being exploited through CCE/County Lines
As part of the Community Safety Partnership’s commitment to jointly safeguarding young people at risk of
Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), we will ensure our services work together to both identify risk and
minimise it. A service central to this approach is the work of the various education services. Namely the
referral unit that provides full time education and support for students not accessing mainstream schools.
Additionally, the services provide education for students who cannot access mainstream schools due to
Mental Health difficulties.
21These services work closely with and seek advice from a range of agencies who discuss with the students,
the risks of the internet (e- safety), sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation by organised crime groups, and
of going missing as part of their PSCHEE curriculum. Additionally, outside speakers will often be invited to
support and develop their understanding.
These services will continue to develop personalised timetables for vulnerable individuals. In extreme cases
for school refusers, use of a tutoring company to provide home tuition for young people who are unable to
attend. Reasons for inability to attend can include County Line drug dealing and groups exploiting young
people to deal drugs; CSE fears; and direct threats from local dealers towards youngsters who are fearful of
their safety to and from school.
Additionally The Home Office recently granted Hounslow Children’s Services over £1.25 million for their bid
for the PEACE Project which is part of a four year long Trusted Relationship’s grant. We are pleased to
announce that the PEACE (Protecting and Empowering Against Child Exploitation) Project is now launching
and accepting referrals. The new project, based in YOS will be offering;
1:1 Intensive weekly Direct Outreach Work in with young people affected by CSE/CCE
Home and office-based Family Therapy sessions
12 Week Systemic Parenting Programs on CSE/CCE for parents, carers and significant adults
Weekly Peer Group Sessions in the community with structured sports and performing arts activity’s
Fortnightly Interactive Whole School’s Workshops on child sexual and criminal exploitation
Team Around the School Meetings
Awareness raising Community Based Workshops for groups most affected by CSE/CCE
In our approach to working in partnership to reduce the harm caused by CCE, we work closely with various
local organisations such as the Job Centre Plus (JCP): who often meet vulnerable people. The Department
for Work and Pensions have established a Complex Needs plan that aligns with the priorities of this plan and
addresses the following:
• Ensuring staff in Hounslow JCP are able to identify clients with complex needs and vulnerability
(including those being or at risk of criminal exploitation)
• Ensure staff are able to identify what further support is necessary on a case by case basis
• Have a clear understanding of the cycle of disadvantage
As part of the Hounslow JCP commitment to supporting individuals with complex needs (both young people
and adults), the service has a care leaver lead that is co-located at the council. Additionally, a school’s
advisor for 14-19 year old’s is allocated to work with those who display complex needs and signs of
vulnerability.
The CSPB rely on the effective partnership working to address CCE in Hounslow, with services such as
Children’s Social Care and the Police collaborating to protect young people who are vulnerable to
exploitation. Those who are subject to CCE will continue to be subject to multi-agency plans through either
the YOS-led Risk of Harm Panel, which oversees inter-agency work with young people who pose a risk of
harm to others. This process will be appropriate for some victims of CCE as they are often actively involved
in drugs supply by organised crime groups and the associated offences of violence. However, some may also
be referred to Social Care in relation to Child Protection concerns.
The YOS will also continue to link with the London Gangs Exit (LGE) programme, and the new MOPAC
funded Pan-London project Rescue and Response. This project will provide an intelligence hub to enable
referrals of, local young people involved in ‘County Lines’ who may come to the attention of Police and
other agencies around the country.
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