Propaganda Ten-year-olds in drugs hothouses

[Junkhead23]

Children as young as ten are being smuggled to Britain to toil in dangerous cannabis hothouses, police have revealed.

Under-age workers from Vietnam and China are among those working as gardeners in illegal drug factories, often producing highly potent skunk. Gangs are waiving the £15,000 fees they would normally charge to bring people to Britain because the child labour can help generate multi-million-pound profits.
An estimated six per cent of all children trafficked here – often in locked containers – are forced to work in the factories.


The revelations come as national charity Crimestoppers launches a week-long campaign to raise awareness of Britain's booming drug culture.
Three-bedroom urban and rural homes converted to produce cannabis can each make around £1.2million a year in profits.
The youngest child discovered working in the hothouses was just ten, according to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), though most were about 16.
One orphaned girl from south-east Asia told investigators that she was sent to Britain by her guardian, via an agent – but refused to incriminate anyone.
CEOP said: 'Exploiters often take on the role of a “mother” or “uncle” and express familial affection for their victims.
This instils feelings of loyalty by which traffickers are better able to manipulate their victims.'
Campaigners have called for prosecutors and police to treat under-age cannabis farmers as victims rather than defendants.
Glynn Rankin, deputy head of the UK Human Trafficking Centre, said: 'When child victims are recovered from cannabis factories we have to make sure their rights come first – there's no way they can properly have consented to these roles.'
To pass on information about crime, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or go to www.crimestoppers-uk.org


Source - http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article....&in_page_id=34

[Potter]

And we're supposed to believe this crap why?

Does anyone have any real evidence of these supposed slavery rings?

[Routemaster Flash]

Originally Posted by Potter

And we're supposed to believe this crap why?

Does anyone have any real evidence of these supposed slavery rings?

I've heard this before, I think it's quite well supported, sadly.

The Vietnamese gangs leave little kids running the factories because they know there's fuck all the legal system is going to do to them if/when a place is busted - not that it's remotely the kids' fault, of course, but I suppose adults in the same situation could be threatened with prosecution and then offered leniency if they cooperate to help catch the gangmasters. Plus kids are obviously far easier to intimidate and traffic in.

[cra$h]

damn, this would be horrible if it's true, which swim's leaning towards yes. obviously this is the most extreme situation though. And even if word got out that little kids are being forced to make swimmer's drugs, it's not going to stop any of 'em.

[WeAllWannaChangeTheWorld]

SWIM feels as if Potter is wants to act like it's BS to feel better about those using the product cultivated by the children.
Yes, it's awful, but why is it hard to believe?
So it's okay to wear sandals made by kids in a sweatshop, but not to smoke another fruit of their labors?
To suggest those that run child labor rings WOULDN'T delve into the world of drug manufacturing is absurd.

[Potter]

No I question the validity of the claims that children are shipped into the US or UK as I've yet to see the headlines "Drug bust 15 child slaves freed!" You know the media would have a field day with such an occurrence and it'd be great government propaganda. The fact is they only ever discuss the idea that this is occurring, not once have I seen any sort of direct evidence.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good valid reponse, adding sensible reason as always potter

[Junkhead23]

I put this down as propaganda as that is certainly what it looks like to me. Don't all be feeling too guilty that's what they want

[welshmick]

Thinks it's a load of bollox

The import fee + slave labour - I can beleive that

[Master_Khan]

It's too bad that people in the UK have gone mad and tried to renew and rejuvenate marijuana prohibition by renaming it "skunk". Just when we in the states appear to be on cruise control to a glorious future of buds and more buds, the motherland has pissed all over herself.

[cannabis-sam]

Of course in a regulated market, cannabis wouldn't need illegal immigrants and trafficked childred because there would be rules and regulations in place funny no articles seem to point that out...

[Junkhead23]

When you think of it is no different to Nike using sweatshops really is it?

[Routemaster Flash]

Originally Posted by Junkhead23

When you think of it is no different to Nike using sweatshops really is it?

Morally? No, not much. Other than the illegality of cannabis vs. Nike trainers, the major difference is that it's happening in Britain, where child labour is explicitly illegal (whereas Nike sweatshops are in third-world countries where such practices are legal and, moreover, most people are dirt poor).

It's annoying to see so many people dismissing any news of this kind as 'propaganda' just because they see it as besmirching their beloved weed.

[Euthanatos93420]

Originally Posted by Routemaster Flash

Morally? No, not much. Other than the illegality of cannabis vs. Nike trainers, the major difference is that it's happening in Britain, where child labour is explicitly illegal (whereas Nike sweatshops are in third-world countries where such practices are legal and, moreover, most people are dirt poor).

It's annoying to see so many people dismissing any news of this kind as 'propaganda' just because they see it as besmirching their beloved weed.

'Secret documents revealed' my ass. This IS propaganda. We all KNOW there is a child slave trade right outside out doorstep no matter which country you live in. Terminology is engineered to make it sound as if WEED is the culprit for the child slave trade. TBH using children to grow dope is about the most dumbshit idea.

That's why there aren't any report of such an operation being busted. This is propagada, not news. IF it were news, it would have photos, real events documented and disucssed. People who were present interview. Not some secret document a reporter was able to get his hands on via some deepthroat.

[Routemaster Flash]

Originally Posted by Euthanatos93420

'Secret documents revealed' my ass. This IS propaganda. We all KNOW there is a child slave trade right outside out doorstep no matter which country you live in. Terminology is engineered to make it sound as if WEED is the culprit for the child slave trade. TBH using children to grow dope is about the most dumbshit idea.

Oh, bollocks. What evidence do you have of this? What kinds of industry, other than something like illegal drug production, would rely so heavily on child labour? The only other one I can think of is child prostitution, which is of course illegal also.

Using children (esp. illegally smuggled immigrants) to grow cannabis is actually a pretty smart move, since they're much harder to track than adults and are immune from prosecution. To say nothing of being much easier to push around than adults! Think about it.

Originally Posted by Euthanatos93420

That's why there aren't any report of such an operation being busted. This is propagada, not news. IF it were news, it would have photos, real events documented and disucssed. People who were present interview. Not some secret document a reporter was able to get his hands on via some deepthroat.

They get busted all the time, which is why it only ever makes local news, if that. If they reported every bust on national news there wouldn't be any time for anything else. Every now and then a particularly big farm is busted and makes the news. It's just so common as to not be a very newsworthy topic.

Don't get me wrong, it may well be that issue is being used as propaganda as well, but that does not imply it's not actually happening. This is exactly what I was talking about above: self-righteous stoners putting their fingers in their ears and going "La la la la la!" because they've read something that makes their spliff leave a nasty taste in their mouth...

[Euthanatos93420]

Originally Posted by Routemaster Flash

Oh, bollocks. What evidence do you have of this? What kinds of industry, other than something like illegal drug production, would rely so heavily on child labour? The only other one I can think of is child prostitution, which is of course illegal also.

Illegal and much more profitable than drug production. MUCH.

Using children (esp. illegally smuggled immigrants) to grow cannabis is actually a pretty smart move, since they're much harder to track than adults and are immune from prosecution. To say nothing of being much easier to push around than adults! Think about it.

By the law as well as the grower. Kids might be immune to prosecution but they'll flip faster than an adult. An adult can be intimidated because if he's working in that kind of setup he knows if he does flip they're waiting for him on the other side of the fence. Kids get relocated.

They get busted all the time, which is why it only ever makes local news, if that. If they reported every bust on national news there wouldn't be any time for anything else. Every now and then a particularly big farm is busted and makes the news. It's just so common as to not be a very newsworthy topic.

Alright then, if it's so common to bust, then why doesn't this guy make any references?

Don't get me wrong, it may well be that issue is being used as propaganda as well, but that does not imply it's not actually happening. This is exactly what I was talking about above: self-righteous stoners putting their fingers in their ears and going "La la la la la!" because they've read something that makes their spliff leave a nasty taste in their mouth...

Look, I'm not saying it doesn't happen. What I'm saying is that it's not WEED'S fault. Nor is it Swim's for being a consumer. This bowl tastes just fine. Regardless of any probability it is so associated.

It's Dick's fault. It's Anslinger's fault. It's the ignorant prohibitionist fault. Why doesn't this article talk about how sensible drug policy would remove this demand for child slave labor.

What's your fucking beef with 'stoners' anyway? Who the fuck said Swim is a 'stoner'? Maybe Swim is medical user? Maybe Swim doesn't smoke pot? I'm not making any assumptions about you but you don't seem to have any qualms about baselssly tossing derogatory slang around.

[sweettea]

More Propaganda....

Revealed: 77 trafficked Chinese children lost by home

Organised criminal gangs have exploited a children's home beside Heathrow airport for the systematic trafficking of Chinese children to work in prostitution and the drugs trade across Britain, a secret immigration document reveals.

Robert Booth on fears that Chinese children are being trafficked from a Heathrow care home The intelligence report from the Border and Immigration Agency, obtained by the Guardian, shows how a 59-bed local authority block has been used as a clearing house for a trade in children that stretches across four continents.

At least 77 Chinese children have gone missing since March 2006 from the home, operated by the London borough of Hillingdon. Only four have been found. Two girls returned after a year of exploitation in brothels in the Midlands. One was pregnant while the other had been surgically fitted with a contraceptive device in her arm. Others are coerced with physical threats to work as street-sellers of counterfeit goods. It is thought that many work in cannabis farms.

The report, marked "restricted", reveals that victims of a trafficking network that has agents based as far apart as China, Brazil, Japan, Malaysia and Kenya arrive at the home just outside the airport perimeter, only to disappear almost immediately.

It states: "The absconding may be at the facilitation of organised crime groups and the children may then be exploited for financial gain."
The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, is facing calls from the opposition to explain how the home came to be exploited by traffickers. "This report appears to highlight a scandalous situation in our immigration system," said the shadow home secretary, Chris Grayling. "To have such a large number of children going missing when they are supposed to be in care is unacceptable. We need an urgent explanation from the home secretary."
The report, by the immigration agency's national intelligence unit, was passed to the Guardian by a source concerned that too little action was being taken to tackle the problem. It says Chinese children arrive alone on flights to Heathrow before they are picked up by border officials and taken into local authority care. In two thirds of cases, they disappear quickly – most within a week and many within 24 hours. Many flee during fire drills and 10 have jumped out of windows. Others simply walk out of the front door into waiting cars.

Hillingdon council said the disappearances seemed "planned and coordinated" by criminal gangs. "They were being trafficked and there has been organised movement through the facility," said Julian Worcester, the deputy director of children's services.

He said the number of Chinese children coming through Heathrow had declined recently as a result of attempts to disrupt the networks, but the most recent figures show the problem remains. Between April and December 2008, 13 of the 41 Chinese children taken into care in Hillingdon disappeared.

"There is still a large proportion who go missing but the total numbers are going down," said Worcester. "As a result of coordinated action, Heathrow is now seen as a more difficult airport to traffic people through. We think some of the activity has been displaced to other airports, in particular Stansted in Essex and Manchester."

There is no suggestion that anyone involved in the administration of the home is responsible for aiding the traffickers. Other residents have fled situations in troubled countries, including Iraq and Somalia, and have not been trafficked.

Chinese children now account for a quarter of all suspected trafficking cases involving under 18s. MPs and campaign groups are increasingly concerned at the number of suspected victims of trafficking who are going missing from local authority care.

Last week, the Home Office's child exploitation and online protection centre said one in five suspected victims of child trafficking were missing from care. "The Hillingdon experience is of such national significance that it cannot be swept under the carpet," said Christine Beddoe, the chief executive of Ecpat UK, a charity that campaigns against child trafficking. "We have been calling on government for an inquiry into missing children for years. Every year we are ignored, hundreds more children are being exploited. Does it require another death like Victoria Climbié for the government to act?"

Minutes of a recent meeting about Chinese child trafficking attended by officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the UK Human Trafficking Centre revealed a "lack of will to deal with child trafficking cases" among police child abuse investigation teams.

Ping Hayward, the director of the Chinese Community Centre in London, said: "This is a hidden and underground part of Chinese life."

Source: UK Guardian

Reputation Comments on this post:

Great relevant evidence, adds greatly to discussion

[WeAllWannaChangeTheWorld]

thank you SWEETTEA for that post.
i personally didn't find it worth searching online, but i dunno how someone could convince themselves it wasn't true.
the facts that you presented saves me the effort.

there was a comment on potter being sensible, how is it sensible to deny reason?
why would anyone pick and choose what to believe on such matters?
are you also gonna say because you've never seen someone shot, no one dies?

there is amounted evidence of children being kidnapped for labor, often by cartels and organizations that run drug rings as well, why does it have to be shoved in your face to accept that they want profit across the board?

[CoryInJapan]

I hope this isnt true.
For one thing thats really sad for the kids that have to deal with that..

secondly It would make cannabis look bad.Thats all we need when America is shifting closer to Decrim or legalization.

[Valseedian]

and imagion, if marijuana was legal and they couldn't make the insane profit they can off the sale of a weed....

this same idea can be pushed to any instance of child labor anywhere.... korean minimum wages... mexican drug cartels.. child prostitution rings.. (tho, admitedly, not imposing an age of consent wouldn't solve the later as fixing drug laws would the former, but....)

[sweettea]

Originally Posted by Euthanatos93420

Terminology is engineered to make it sound as if WEED is the culprit for the child slave trade.

In my opinion, the article's focus is on the fact that these children slipped through the system rather than as an attack on marijuana per se. Slave labor is just one of any number of outcomes for these kids.

There are plenty of reputable and reliable sources of information on human trafficking if one is inclined to go looking for them.

Originally Posted by Euthanatos93420

TBH using children to grow dope is about the most dumbshit idea.

So is fucking them but that doesn't seem to slow a certain group of people down much.

Originally Posted by Euthanatos93420

That's why there aren't any report of such an operation being busted.

It is being reported, just no one (media included), quite frankly gives a shit, because these aren't little blue-eyed blonde white kids scooped up on their way to school in the morning. Certain groups prey on people and children whose country of origin isn’t exactly known for their stellar human rights, and these groups know the children can't be traced.

Pure conjecture here, but seems to me, if such an operation is busted, the children are most likely just filtered into the social system. It's not like they have passports or parents putting their faces on milk cartons.

It's a bitter pill to swallow that all of us (me included) are a link in the chain, and ultimately bear some responsibility. Maybe someone is supplied weed from someone using child slave labor, maybe my Levi's are a result of slave labor, or my personal favorite, that shiny diamond engagement ring is a blood diamond. (Now there's a sobering conversation, the Lost Boys of Africa.)

It's a small sad world, eh?

[Euthanatos93420]

In my opinion, the article's focus is on the fact that these children slipped through the system rather than as an attack on marijuana per se.

Then you've been duped. I'm not trying to insult you but you've really got to learn to dissect the media storm that hits you or else you're going to end up brainwashed by the occult symbols and tactics used in the media to engineer society.

The difference between a pedo and a cultivator is that a cultivator doesn't NEED underage kids to do the dirty work. Pedophilia isn't stupid, it's a sickness. Using child slave labor to cultivate weed is dumb because it's a damn good way to get busted. Privacy, anonymity and solitary staff are the keys to growing weed without getting busted, mno matter what size your crop is. If anyone other than YOU knows about it...you're busted.

It is being reported

No it isn't...or this article would have the documentation, photos and interviews from the bust or would reference the articles that do.

It's called proffesional journalism and this paper is lacking sorely in it. You broken heart blinds you from this. Yes it's fucking sad kids are being kidnapped and sold as slaves. Doesn't justify this shithead journalist wannabe paying lip service to the man because he can't find any REAL work because he doesn't practice proffesional journalism.

Freedom of speech works both ways. You can say whatever you want, but if you don't play by the rules of HOW to say it...there are consequences.

[Euthanatos93420]

...and that's what makes this article propaganda...

[sweettea]

The original Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) Report.

[xxdan123xx]

SWim doesn't buy this for one minute but if he did isn't it just one more reason to legalize it.. Meaning if it was legal to grow no slavery would occur in the process

[Euthanatos93420]

Thanks sweattea! That's really helpful and further proves that his article is completely propaganda:

In 227 (67% of total) of the total 330 cases documented in the data set, the type of exploitation
the child was being trafficked or suspected to be trafficked into was unclear. Therefore the
patterns shown in the rest of the data should be seen as only a limited representation of the
exploitation types and their relative proportions.

sexual exploitation (59),
domestic servitude (23),
cannabis cultivation (6),
benefit fraud (6),
drugs trafficking/dealing (2),
begging (1),
servile marriage (1),
credit card fraud (1).