title: Adolescent drug trafficking trends in the United Kingdom--a 10-year retrospective analysis.
abstract: This paper reports data from HM Customs and Excise (HMCE) of recorded cases of adolescent drug trafficking through all sea and air points of entry into the UK over a 10-year period (May 1992-May 2002). We report the characteristics of 38 cases of mixed gender and nationality ranging in age between 13 and 18 years who have been apprehended by HMCE due to the illegal importation of drugs. Highlighted is an increasing trend in UK national male and female adolescents being apprehended for drug trafficking. Of particular note is the observation that more young adolescent females were apprehended importing large consignments of Class A substances than their male counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Northern Forensic Mental Health Service for Young People, 1st Floor St Nicholas House, St Nicholas Hospital, Jubilee Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3XT, UK.
authors.forename: Ellen Louise Eva
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: Patrick John
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D003132:Commerce; D003415:Crime / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom