Children Trafficked From Asia to UK to Work in Cannabis Factories

In 2004, Britain declassified cannabis, decreasing the penalties for growing or possessing the controlled substance. As fear of punishment faded, demand grew and so did the appeal of producing the drug for greater profits. Organized crime rushed to fill the gap between supply and demand, and with record levels of production, Vietnamese gangs rely on children to tend plants. So declassification inadvertently led to a rise in human trafficking of children from South Asia, particularly Vietnam, and even a perverse specialization, with some villages known for offering boys to work in cannabis factories In arresting and prosecuting suspects, law-enforcement officials struggle to determine whether the young teens are victims or criminals. – YaleGlobal