London Mayor Sadiq Khan Accused of Hiding Grooming Gangs as Girls as Young as 13 Raped and Drugged

A political storm has erupted in London after reports emerged that Mayor Sadiq Khan's administration suppressed investigations into grooming gangs, leaving girls as young as 13 at risk across the city.

Hidden Reports Reveal Widespread Child Exploitation

According to a Daily Mail report, a taxpayer-funded investigation by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) was blocked from public release.

The investigation, costing £65,000 ($82,000), reportedly identified extensive sexual exploitation across multiple London boroughs. Critics argue withholding these findings may have left dozens of young victims vulnerable for years.

Girls as Young as 13 Drugged and Trafficked

Whistleblowers cited by The Daily Mail claim that some victims were drugged, raped, and moved between boroughs by organised groups. Coercion and intimidation were allegedly used to enforce silence.

The unpublished data reportedly identified around 150 potential victims, highlighting the scale of child exploitation that may have been ignored for political reasons.

Potential Cover-Up Sparks Public Concern

The report allegedly exposed criminal networks spanning multiple ethnic backgrounds, which some officials feared could inflame social tensions.

City Hall states the report has not been released due to ongoing legal and safeguarding reviews, while claiming that under Khan, London has invested £10 million ($12.6 million) in police training and survivor support programmes.

Historic Failures Mirror Current Concerns

Past official inquiries have revealed large-scale child exploitation across the UK. Over 1,400 children in Rotherham were abused between 1997 and 2013 while authorities ignored repeated warnings. Similar patterns occurred in Rochdale and Oxford, illustrating a nationwide failure to protect children from organised abuse.

Pressure Mounts for Transparency and Action

Public outrage is growing, with calls for immediate publication of the suppressed report and the establishment of a fully independent inquiry.

Data from The Truth Project indicates that for every known grooming case, five go unreported, suggesting that hundreds of potential victims across London remain unheard.

City Hall Defends Policies Amid Criticism

Khan's office maintains that accusations of suppression are politically motivated. The administration emphasises that its goal is prevention, protection, and prosecution, not political point-scoring.

Per Metropolitan Police data, the budget for child exploitation investigations has increased by 22% since Khan assumed office, enabling taskforces in Westminster, Tower Hamlets, and Croydon.

Young Victims Left in the Shadows

Despite increased funding, the lack of transparency raises serious concerns. Without access to the report, it is impossible to know whether critical warnings were ignored, leaving vulnerable girls exposed to further harm.

Citywide Impact of Grooming Gang Activity

The alleged suppression of information affects more than individual victims. Communities across London face heightened risks when abuse networks are not exposed. Early intervention could prevent hundreds of incidents, yet potential victims remain at risk.

Calls for Accountability Intensify

More than 45,000 Londoners have signed a petition demanding the suppressed report be released. Experts warn that if negligence is proven, civil lawsuits worth millions could follow.

Transparency is seen as essential not just for justice, but for restoring public trust in the institutions responsible for protecting children in London.

Protecting London's Children

As pressure mounts, Londoners are calling for immediate disclosure of findings, thorough investigation of grooming networks, and strengthened safeguarding measures to ensure young victims are no longer overlooked.

City Hall has pledged to continue funding child protection initiatives, but critics argue that without full transparency, it remains unclear if these programmes address the full scale of exploitation revealed in the suppressed report.