“I think what has surprised people is that this is a business [human trafficking] that is undertaken by organized criminals in the UK itself," May said speaking exclusively to Sky News.
May stressed that young people were moved from one part of the United Kingdom to another "into exploitation, into effectively modern slavery."
According to Sky News, children as young as 12 years of age are being recruited by criminal gangs in the United Kingdom, to sell hard drugs as cocaine and heroin into small towns across the country.
A former gang member told the news outlet that he made thousands of pounds by sending 10 young people each year to small UK towns, where they were often subjected to violence and arrested by police.
Starting late last year the issue attracted the attention of local authorities. An intelligence-led operation began conducting a series of raids in Kent and Hampshire counties, where a large number of suspected gang members are believed be forcing children to sell drugs.
