National Crime Agency to launch operation targeting grooming gangs

National Crime Agency to launch operation targeting grooming gangs

A nationwide police operation is set to target grooming gangs as the National Crime Agency (NCA) gears up to crack down on predators who have exploited children. The Home Office has announced that the NCA will work alongside local police forces to ensure that victims who have not seen progress in their cases receive the justice they deserve. The main objective of this operation is to bring perpetrators of child sexual abuse to justice, safeguard victims, and enhance the investigative efforts of local police forces.

The initiative comes in anticipation of the release of a report by Baroness Louise Casey that will shed light on the prevalence and severity of group-based child sexual abuse. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently declared a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs, covering England and Wales, in an effort to address this pressing issue. The government aims to put an end to the culture of denial surrounding the prevalence of grooming gang crimes and hold accountable those responsible for past mishandling and cover-ups.

The Home Office has disclosed that over 800 historical cases of group-based child sexual abuse have been reopened by the police as a result of a directive from the home secretary to revisit cases that were prematurely closed, denying justice to victims. Yvette Cooper emphasized the importance of offering justice to the brave survivors who were subjected to unimaginable abuse as children. The proposed national inquiry seeks to compel investigations into historic cases of grooming gang crimes and ensure transparency and accountability in handling such cases.

The issue of grooming gangs gained attention in early 2025, following criticism from tech mogul Elon Musk directed at Sir Keir for failing to launch a national inquiry. The controversy was fueled by the conviction of groups of men, predominantly of Pakistani descent, for sexually abusing and raping young white girls. Sir Keir subsequently endorsed the recommendation for a national inquiry after reviewing the findings of Baroness Casey’s report. The government is working on establishing a National Policing Operation focused on combating group-based child exploitation in collaboration with law enforcement agencies at both national and local levels

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