A Guardian investigation has found that drug cartels are exploiting hundreds of unaccompanied migrant African children as foot soldiers in Europe’s expanding cocaine trade. The situation hasn’t gone unnoticed by the authorities with EU police forces reporting widespread exploitation in cities like Paris and Brussels, where children are subjected to torture and rape if they fail to sell enough drugs. According to the report, the cocaine cartels are taking advantage of the “unlimited” supply of vulnerable children, who they traffic from North Africa for use in their booming trade. Following an assessment by EU police forces, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Spain, have the strongest cases of this exploitation the recruited minors running into hundreds. However, other Guardian sources believe that the numbers could run into the thousands.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 12, 2024 18:40 UTC