GettyA recent spate of missing person cases has shown one disturbing fact, which only up until now has gone largely unnoticed.
Over the past few weeks the Metropolitan Police department in Enfield, north London has been posting tweets asking for information on several missing teenagers, aged between 13-17, which could lead to their whereabouts.
Seemingly it appears these cases have been not been connected but it’s come to the attention of many residents and concerned people on Twitter that the people missing appear to all be young, black or a person of colour and are from the Enfield area.
While no solid connection can be made it seems this is more than a coincidence that over the past few weeks and months the number of teenage missing persons cases have risen.
What the hell is going on?? RT! RT! pic.twitter.com/jiSvPdcfLR
— MikeyMajik (@mikeymuzik) December 7, 2017
All these kids gone missing in Enfield is a concern
— JIGGABOO (@CallMeSiin) December 8, 2017
For those of you that live in north you need to be applying pressure on your local MPs and authorities into the missing black people in Enfield. Seriously.
— Stef (@FLOTUK) December 8, 2017
How can this many people be missing in Enfield
— Ruth (@RuthyKelly_) December 8, 2017
Why are so many residents of Enfield going missing!????
— Phoenix. (@_LolaMichelle) December 8, 2017
According to the International Business Times, in the last month alone at least nine children, from the ages of 13-17, have gone missing, as well as a 21-year-old who hasn’t been seen in the north London borough since mid-November,
It’s now been confirmed by Enfield police they are looking into a possible connection in regards to the recent rise in teenagers reported missing from the area. However, police have acknowledged there has not been a ‘disproportionate’ rise in the number of reported disappearances, despite concern from local residents.
Shyaan Wright 13 years old missing since 6/12/17 ref: 17MIS053058 if seen call 101 or 02083453332 DB pic.twitter.com/Nyo3figKgC
— Enfield MPS (@MPSEnfield) December 9, 2017
A spokesperson for Enfield police said:
We understand how upsetting it is that these young children are missing and our Missing Persons Unit is conducting a separate and full investigation into each child whilst also addressing the possibility that they could be missing together.
We are using social media as an asset to try to get their faces known and to get information on their whereabouts to help with our investigations. If anyone has info please call our MPU and help us to locate them and reunite them with family and friends.
Dante DOUGLAS aged 14 is missing from Enfield on 07/11/2017.If seen please call Enfield Missing Persons on 0208 345 3300 or 101.mc pic.twitter.com/hbJssxdP8E
— Enfield MPS (@MPSEnfield) November 13, 2017
JAYDON HALL
Aged 15
Reported missing since 13/11/2017
Call 101 or 02083453300
17MIS049969 pic.twitter.com/04x003y0Ub— Enfield MPS (@MPSEnfield) November 20, 2017
According to IBT reports there could be a direct link between criminal activity/the narcotics trade stemming from Enfield and the number of disappearances of young people of colour. Recently gang members from Edmonton and Enfield were jailed for coercing a 19-year-old north London woman, who was reported as missing, into transporting drugs to south Wales.
Both Mahad Yusuf, 20, of Edmonton and 19-year-old Fesal Mahamud, from Enfield, pleaded guilty to modern slavery offences after running a so-called ‘country line’ operation – a term apparently used by gangs to traffic drugs from cities to outer London locations.
The two were believed to have lured the unnamed 19-year-old into a car before they drove down with her to south Wales, against her will. She was thought to have been held captive for five days, during that time she had her phone destroyed and was forced to sell Class A drugs.
Jamal Daley-Bonner
dob 06/01/2002
Missing since 12/11/2017
Call 101 or 02083453300
17MIS050092 pic.twitter.com/oRcJOdkx0I— Enfield MPS (@MPSEnfield) November 21, 2017
Manuel AFEWORK aged 14
missing from the FERNS CLOSE EN3 area since the 14/11/17.
If seen, please contact 101 or 02083453300
17MIS049896 pic.twitter.com/z1yOTHNc31— Enfield MPS (@MPSEnfield) November 24, 2017
Residents in Enfield now fear young, vulnerable teens are being specifically targeted by gangs in the north London area to sell drugs – in most cases by force.
Following Yusuf and Mahamud’s convictions, detective superintendent Tim Champion, Lead Responsible Officer for the Met’s County Lines Investigations, released a statement saying:
Drug supply is not new, however the exploitation of vulnerable young people by criminal networks, to move and supply drugs across the country, takes this offending to a new level.
We will prioritise those criminal networks that exploit young persons and utilise all legislation available to disrupt their offending and safeguard those caught up in ‘county lines’. These offenders are trafficking young people to maximise their profits in the drug market and use of the Modern Slavery Act is a proportionate and necessary response.
Mahdi KADRI
dob 21/03/1996
Missing since 14/11/2017
call 101 or 02083453300
17MIS051190 pic.twitter.com/xbBdM8skzS— Enfield MPS (@MPSEnfield) November 27, 2017
Timothy ADEOYE aged 14 is missing from ENFIELD on 24/11/2017 .If seen please call ENFIELD MISSING PERSONS on 0208 345 3300 or 101 quoting ref 17MIS051769.mc pic.twitter.com/Zd1J6QS0So
— Enfield MPS (@MPSEnfield) December 3, 2017
If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of any of the missing teenagers from the Enfield area please contact the Metropolitan Police here or on the emergency number: 999.