Twenty-five held on child trafficking charges (Roundup)

By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff Writer Jan 25, 2008, 11:42 GMT

(M&C) - Police officers carried out dawn raids yesterday in an attempt to smash a child trafficking ring which had forced Romanian children to learn to pick pockets and shoplift.

Police raided some 17 addresses in Slough, Berkshire after receiving a tip off.

In a manner reminiscent of Dickensian times, the "Fagin"-style child gangs bought some 1,000 children from their parents in Romania before setting them loose in British towns to steal from tourists, businessmen and commuters reports the Times.

"We were dealing with a highly organised criminal network, originating in Romania, transferring children into Britain to commit crimes," said Commander Steve Allen, who runs policing in the borough of Westminster.

With most of the money gained from the operations sent back to Romania, the leaders have bought luxury houses in towns and villages.Of the children take into care following yesterday's raid,one was less than a year old with 25 people found living in a four-bedroom house.

A police spokesman said that the operation was “part of ongoing work in London to disrupt the organised criminals involved in child-trafficking, theft of personal property, pickpocketing and cashpoint theft crime”.

All of the children were found to be in good physical health despite their ordeal.