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Police have arrested 12 men on suspicion of child exploitation offences in Oxford, including trafficking, grooming and rape.
The arrests on Thursday came as part of Operation Bullfinch, a joint investigation by Thames Valley police and Oxfordshire county council'schildren's social care team relating to 24 girls aged between 11 and 16.
Detective superintendent Rob Mason said: "We believe we have uncovered an organised crime group who have been running a business of selling young girls for sex. We have also identified a number of customers who we have reason to believe have used this service. Our number one priority is to protect the victims, both their identities and wellbeing."
He said the offences were believed to have taken place over six years and the arrests were the second phase of the investigation. The men, aged between 21 and 37, are in police custody after 14 properties were raided, a police spokesman said. They were also suspected of the prostitution of females under 18 and administrating drugs for the purpose of rape.
Children's social care workers from the council's children, education and families department were seconded to the police at the outset of the investigation.
Councillor Louise Chapman, cabinet member for children, young people and families from Oxfordshire county council, said the council had assisted in a complex investigation.
"Its focus has been, and will continue to be, on the care for alleged victims," she said.
"Thames Valley police has demonstrated in conducting this investigation that it is not prepared to tolerate child exploitation in Oxfordshire. The county council feels sure it is speaking for the whole community in expressing total support for the police in this regard."
Peter Davies, chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, the lead agency for tackling the sexual exploitation of children both online and offline, said it would continue to work with Thames Valley police "in any way possible, including offering support for ongoing engagement with victims and potential victims".
Sheila Taylor, director of the National Working Group for Sexually Exploited Children and Young People, said: "We congratulate Thames Valley police for their dedication to this issue and the operation they have developed and their zero tolerance approach to this crime." (guardian.co.uk)
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