UK cops couldn't comment on Asian sex gangs for fear of appearing racist

London, Jan 12 (ANI): Police in Britain have revealed that they could not speak out about the Asian sex gangs working in UK because they were afraid of appearing "institutionally racist".

Mick Gradwell, a former detective superintendent, said the targeting of underage and vulnerable girls had been going on for decades.

"You have girls being abused and raped and yet the most senior officers are refusing to comment on it. On what other subject would you get that?" the Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

"How many young girls have been abused and raped because of the reluctance of the authorities to say exactly what is happening?" he asked.

Gradwell spoke out following a trial in Derby which resulted in Abid Saddique, 27, and Mohammed Liaqat, 28, being jailed for a total of 19 years after targeting underage girls.

"When I joined in 1979 one of my first tasks was to police around a Blackburn nightclub where one of the issues was Asian men cruising around in BMWs and Mercs trying to pick up young drunken girls," he said.

"The main pressure police have is being called institutionally racist if they highlight a crime trend like this.

"There's a fantastic reluctance to be absolutely straight because some people may take such offence," he added.

His warning follows the arrests of a gang of Asian men over claims they plied 14 white girls with drink and drugs before turning them into sex slaves in Rochdale, near Manchester. (ANI)