10 men arrested over sex parties - Telegraph.co.uk

Around 100 detectives were involved in the operation, which is part of a continuing investigation into domestic sex trafficking.

Police have become increasingly aware of a trend that has seen vulnerable white teenagers targeted by predominantly Asian men.

Terry Sweeney, assistant chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said the force was now "fully prepared" to acknowledge the issue of ethnicity.

However, he emphasised that on this occasion the alleged perpetrators were a mix of Asian and white men.

Those arrested were held on suspicion of trafficking within the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Although the current investigation involves 39 girls, the majority of these are being regarded as witnesses to the suffering of a core group of "four to six" aged as young as 14.

Some have been in local authority care or else living on the fringes of society following the break-up of their families.

Police said the typical modus operandi was for the girls to be approached outside shops or near railway and bus stations.

Their oppressors would initially befriend them, before plying them with drink and drugs and eventually sharing them with their friends at parties.

The grooming process might take days or weeks and sometimes the victims were oblivious to the fact that they had been exploited.

Mr Sweeney said the girls involved in the current investigation had come to police attention after speaking to their carers.

He appealed to others to come forward, either directly to police or via such channels as social services, Barnardo's and Childline.