Nine year olds "used as drug messangers"

Criminal gangs are using primary school children to take messages and carry drugs for them, a government minister has warned.
Jim Knight, the Schools Minister, said that the problem had been identified in Birmingham, Manchester and London. Secondary school children were being recruited by criminals, and in some cases their younger brothers and sisters in primary schools were acting as messangers.
"It is an emerging issue that we want to nip in the bud now before it becomes something that is a genuine worry for parents and pupils," said Mr Knight.