'These people that are intent on harming our children do not stop'

Police say kids are being lured to vape shops and groomed before being 'tracked on Snapchat and blackmailed'. Imogen Clyde-Smith reports

- Imogen Clyde-Smith

CHILDREN are being lured into vape shops by criminals looking to groom them with 'freebies' - before being "tracked on Snapchat and blackmailed, according to police.

Kids are at risk of being sexually and criminally exploited, cops have warned. They are urging parents to speak to their kids about their Snapchat live location-sharing settings.

Many children allow GPS tracking in the popular app as it lets friends see where they have been.

Cops believe the feature is playing into the hands of manipulative criminals.

Detective Chief Inspector Suzanne Keenaghan, GMP's designated force coordinator for child protection, spoke to the M.E.N. about the issue as hundreds of cops took part in a day of action as part of Operation Avro.

The force-wide initiative sees extra resources put into a different district or type of crime each month. This time round, cops focused on children's protection.

Officers made 33 arrests for a variety of offences, including sexual offences, including rape; possession of indecent images; and possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs. Thousands of pounds worth of drugs, cash and illegal items were seized.

As part of the operation, police raided shop suspected of selling illegal vapes, which they say often leads to kids being coerced into criminal activity or sexual exploitation.

Around £20,000 in illegal or non-compliant devices were seized, along with dodgy sweets and imitation guns.

"Vape shops and vapes are created to attract children and entice them into purchasing them," DCI Keenaghan said. "Exploiters are using that façade, within that setting, to get children to go to that location.