Olympics spark trafficking fears

Local authorities are failing to prepare for an impending surge in the number of children and young people trafficked into the UK as a result of the 2012 Olympic Games.

International evidence has shown that large sporting events spark increases in child trafficking, according to campaigners. But none of the five Olympic boroughs have plans in place to tackle the issue. Moreover, the Metropolitan Police is considering disbanding its human trafficking unit.

Campaigners claim the authorities will be unable to deal with the problem unless they start now.

Lisa Nandy, policy adviser at The Children's Society, said "a huge number of children" are likely to be trafficked into the UK, particularly to work in the sex industry. "I'm surprised authorities aren't already working on this and it's worrying that the Metropolitan Police is thinking of disbanding its human trafficking unit. Local authorities and the police need to take a more proactive and joined-up approach."

Christine Beddoe, director at End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (Ecpat UK), said the Olympics will cause an increase in sex exploitation, forced child begging and child labour.

Ruth Breslin, research and development manager at Eaves, a charity that supports vulnerable women, claimed the trafficking increase has already begun. "When it comes to planning and having a strategy in place, it doesn't seem to be happening," she said.

Spokespeople for Greenwich, Hackney, Newham and Waltham Forest said they are not planning any specific work on this issue. Tower Hamlets said the Olympic Delivery Authority is responsible for this work. But, when asked, the agency said the Home Office and Metropolitan Police are liable for it.

A Home Office spokesman said: "While there is no evidence of an increase in trafficking linked to the 2012 games, we remain vigilant and are assessing the intelligence picture on a regular basis."

A Met spokeswoman said intelligence relating trafficking to the 2012 games is low, and that the closure of the trafficking unit would not affect the Met's ability to tackle the issue.

The number of trafficking victims soared in the run up to, and during, the 2004 Athens and 2000 Sydney Olympics.