Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA), often called the UK’s version of the FBI, will investigate allegations that police officers were complicit in the activities of child rape grooming gangs, many of whose members were Muslim men.
These gangs, which have operated in various towns and cities, are accused of systematically targeting vulnerable young girls for sexual exploitation over many years.
The probe will examine claims that some officers either turned a blind eye, failed to act on credible reports, or were directly involved in shielding offenders from prosecution. Critics have long alleged that political sensitivities and fears of being accused of racism or Islamophobia allowed such abuse to persist unchecked.
The scandal surrounding these grooming gangs has already led to multiple independent reviews, which concluded that authorities often neglected victims’ pleas for help. Survivors have testified to being ignored, disbelieved, or even blamed for their own abuse.