0:00:02 > 0:00:04This programme contains some strong language.
0:00:04 > 0:00:06Britain's drugs trade is going through a digital revolution.
0:00:06 > 0:00:07Up and down the country,
0:00:07 > 0:00:10dealers are now using social apps to sell their gear.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Nowhere is out of reach.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Just a swipe away, and costing less than a pint of beer,
0:00:18 > 0:00:22it's never been easier for kids to get their hands on drugs...
0:00:27 > 0:00:29..but who are the people behind the biggest ever change
0:00:29 > 0:00:31to the UK drug trade?
0:00:35 > 0:00:36I'm going undercover,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38to get face-to-face with this new breed of dealer.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Have you done this before?
0:00:43 > 0:00:44Really?
0:00:47 > 0:00:48Shit!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50For the first time on UK screens,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54we will reveal who are Britain's digital dealers.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Welcome to Britain 2017.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04There is a seismic shift in drug-using habits
0:01:04 > 0:01:07amongst Britain's teens that's come up from the underground.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Around one in five 16-24-year-olds took illegal drugs last year.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18The last five years has seen
0:01:18 > 0:01:21a 30% rise in drug abuse and misuse in the UK...
0:01:22 > 0:01:27..and the UK has 300,000 new MDMA users since last year.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33I'm meeting up with a couple of young users
0:01:33 > 0:01:35to find out how they buy their drugs.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Doesn't take very long to get the info.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41And how old were you when you first started taking drugs?
0:01:43 > 0:01:44Really?
0:01:47 > 0:01:50And the way that you buy your drugs, has that changed?
0:01:52 > 0:01:53It's always been online for you?
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Why do you think dealers are attracted to the idea
0:02:04 > 0:02:06of selling on Snapchat and Insta?
0:02:17 > 0:02:19So there's no evidence,
0:02:19 > 0:02:20you've cleared your tracks,
0:02:20 > 0:02:22you're good to go?
0:02:22 > 0:02:26How many dealers do you know on Snapchat and Insta?
0:02:27 > 0:02:2850?
0:02:28 > 0:02:30You know, I wasn't that familiar with Snapchat.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Like, I Instagram.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34You know, I didn't realise the enormity of the industry.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39It's clear how quickly things have changed.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I've decided to go undercover online,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45to find out who's supplying these young kids with class A drugs.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Using my 15-year-old's friend's photos,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52I am posing as her on three popular social apps.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55Instagram,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Snapchat,
0:02:57 > 0:02:58and Yellow.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59Yellow is a new social app
0:02:59 > 0:03:02that helps you makes friends on Snap and Insta.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05After just a few conversations,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08I learned the secret code for finding drugs.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Dealers show they are open for business
0:03:11 > 0:03:13through emojis tacked on their profile.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Maple leaf is the universal symbol for drugs.
0:03:18 > 0:03:19Cocaine,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21MDMA,
0:03:21 > 0:03:22heroin...
0:03:22 > 0:03:25All class As are on offer.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26Within an hour,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28I'm bombarded with people all over the UK.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Some of these dealers are as young as 13.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40I've probably been interacting with...
0:03:40 > 0:03:42certainly hundreds of profiles...
0:03:43 > 0:03:45..and I can't stress enough
0:03:45 > 0:03:50how unbelievably straightforward I have found it
0:03:50 > 0:03:53to potentially get my hands on class A drugs.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55You've just got to make sure you know
0:03:55 > 0:03:56what kind of emojis you are looking for,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58you're very clear about what you're after -
0:03:58 > 0:04:00and if they can't help you,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02they can almost certainly point you to the direction
0:04:02 > 0:04:05of somebody else, who can.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08So there's this lad called Ty, who says he is 16 years old.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Honestly, he's just so loud, he's so noisy.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12He doesn't stop.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15He's posting sometimes every 20 minutes.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Very clearly see his face.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Smoking weed.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Some of his posts...
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Got the food for sale.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24It's clear that he's really into weed.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28So I've just sent him a message saying, "Have you got anything else?
0:04:28 > 0:04:30"D'you deal with class As?"
0:04:30 > 0:04:32so he's come back with this video and it is his hands.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36There are six red pills in a glass bottle.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39I'm intrigued to meet up with Ty -
0:04:39 > 0:04:40but in the meantime,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44a lad called Denva is ready to sell me seven MDMA pills
0:04:44 > 0:04:45through Snapchat.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48His profile says he's 15,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51but he seems to be an expert in all things class A.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01I'm on my way to Maidstone train station.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05I've arranged to meet with Denva at 5pm, just after school.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06He wants me to go alone,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09so I'm using a hidden camera to film our conversation.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13This is wired through to this button here.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17It's actually a hidden camera.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21That's ideal, cos then I can see the drugs.
0:05:21 > 0:05:22This is on.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23I'm going to do it.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26Wish me luck.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28OK.
0:05:33 > 0:05:39Just going to text him now and let him know I'm by the phone boxes.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44He's just messaged me. "Go Homelands".
0:06:13 > 0:06:14MESSAGE PING
0:06:15 > 0:06:17OK. He says he's coming in ten minutes.
0:06:36 > 0:06:37Hey.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39What's your name?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Ah. God, you're a lot younger than I thought you would be.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45Seven?
0:06:45 > 0:06:48'Denva wants to do the deal for seven MDMA pills
0:06:48 > 0:06:49'at the top of the hill.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51'But it's too far away from my crew.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53'I need to get him to turn back.'
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Sorry, I didn't think it would be so busy.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Have you come straight from school?
0:06:59 > 0:07:01'Denva seemed so confident online.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04'Now, in person, he's super nervous.'
0:07:04 > 0:07:06I guess we could go round the back of...
0:07:07 > 0:07:08..this building.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11I finally managed to get back down the hill
0:07:11 > 0:07:13to a secluded area close to the crew.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16So they're legit, right? They're decent pills?
0:07:19 > 0:07:20Can I see them?
0:07:22 > 0:07:23Are there definitely seven there?
0:07:23 > 0:07:25- Swear?- Yeah.
0:07:25 > 0:07:26Have you taken them before?
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Where do you get them from?
0:07:38 > 0:07:40So, Denva,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42you don't need to panic,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44because we're nothing to do with the police.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46We're nothing to do with the police.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Do you want to have a quick conversation with us?
0:07:50 > 0:07:51Five minutes?
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Tell me how long you've been doing it for.
0:07:57 > 0:07:58What kind of pills are they?
0:08:00 > 0:08:01They're mints?
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Would you mind if I took them and got them tested?
0:08:07 > 0:08:09I don't know if I believe you, Denva.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12No, don't, no, don't, don't eat any.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15- Don't eat any. Please don't eat any. - It's a mint.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16'I'm not buying that they're mints.'
0:08:16 > 0:08:19'I've been talking to Denva for weeks now,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21'and his detailed knowledge of MDMA
0:08:21 > 0:08:24'suggests this isn't the first time he sold drugs on Snap.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27'I've no idea who he's texting.'
0:08:27 > 0:08:28How often have you done this before?
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Really?
0:08:32 > 0:08:33I don't believe you.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Are you sure?
0:08:36 > 0:08:38There've been no kids in the past that you've sold to?
0:08:39 > 0:08:42So why were you, why were you so happy to meet me, then?
0:08:44 > 0:08:45Just needed the money?
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Is there anything you want to say to us?
0:08:50 > 0:08:51It's just a mint.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54So you were going to take 50 quid off me for what,
0:08:54 > 0:08:56three mints and four painkillers?
0:08:56 > 0:08:57Yeah.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Where does your mum think you are?
0:09:03 > 0:09:04All right, mate.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Well, listen, be careful.
0:09:08 > 0:09:09Yeah?
0:09:11 > 0:09:13'The whole situation was so surreal.'
0:09:14 > 0:09:17You know, I'm stood there, outside a train station...
0:09:20 > 0:09:23..waiting for a lad, and I honestly thought he'd have left school.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26You know, 16, 17, 18...
0:09:27 > 0:09:29This kid rocks up in his school uniform,
0:09:29 > 0:09:30telling me he's got my gear.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34That just infuriates me.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35It just... You know...
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Adults selling to adults, that's one thing,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40that's your business, you know, whatever you do,
0:09:40 > 0:09:41you're a grown man.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44We're now in a situation where they're sending out...
0:09:46 > 0:09:49..children to go and do their dirty work after school.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Whether the MDMAs were real or not,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58it's clear Denva was connected to someone older.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02I need to speak to the people who supply these Snapchat dealers.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11I've been trying for weeks now to speak with some dealers
0:10:11 > 0:10:13at the top of the drug supply chain.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Finally, I've found a gang in Glasgow who are willing to do it.
0:10:19 > 0:10:20So, right now,
0:10:20 > 0:10:22I'm en route to go and meet some drug dealers
0:10:22 > 0:10:23in their safe house.
0:10:24 > 0:10:30I've got a feeling that these guys...are fairly big time.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32You know, when we were talking about the amounts
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and the enormity of some of the situations,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37they were talking millions and millions of pounds...
0:10:38 > 0:10:42..and the guys in charge who are sat at the top, very wealthy.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45Tons of assets.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47He's got a lot to lose if it all goes wrong.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52My understanding is that they're selling heroin, speed and coke
0:10:52 > 0:10:54through Instagram, online.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56To be honest, at this point,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I don't know enough about the digital dealers...
0:10:59 > 0:11:00but, hopefully...
0:11:02 > 0:11:04..we'll get a clear insight into their world.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07I think we'll turn the camera off in five minutes.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11I don't want to piss them off before we've started!
0:11:16 > 0:11:18My gosh, that don't look suspicious at all, does it?
0:11:19 > 0:11:22I'm in the kitchen with the dealers.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25They've just received a shipment of liquid cocaine from South America,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27hidden in olive oil bottles.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31They're going to show me how they cook it back into powder.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Smell it, yeah, it's quite strong. It's like noodle juice.
0:11:36 > 0:11:37Chicken broth.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39How much will that go for, a gram?
0:11:40 > 0:11:42£100?!
0:11:43 > 0:11:44Oh, it's pure?
0:11:46 > 0:11:49I can, yeah, I can see it's just starting to crystallise.
0:11:49 > 0:11:50It doesn't take very long.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52Three minutes?
0:11:52 > 0:11:54I'm gobsmacked at how quick that is.
0:11:55 > 0:11:56It's mental.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58The dealers take me to the next room,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02where the coke is prepared for distribution on social media apps.
0:12:02 > 0:12:03Hello. All right.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06You look a bit warm.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08- Very! - LAUGHTER
0:12:08 > 0:12:09Thank you so much for having me.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Christ, the anticipation, it's killing me!
0:12:12 > 0:12:13LAUGHTER
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Where'd you get this from?
0:12:17 > 0:12:19- You bury your coke in the ground?- Yes.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26Oh, I see.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27So how much for that bag?
0:12:32 > 0:12:33That's five grand?
0:12:38 > 0:12:40So how much of this will end up on Instagram?
0:12:42 > 0:12:43All of it?
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Yeah, talk me through the risks.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56- You would get 20?- Aye.- Why?
0:12:58 > 0:13:00What's the buzz? Talk me through it.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11Whilst the first orders of the night
0:13:11 > 0:13:13are being packed for the digital dealers,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16the gang are keen to show me the full range of drugs
0:13:16 > 0:13:17that will be sold tonight.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- Hello. How are you?- I'm all right.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Tell me what we're seeing, what we're looking at.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Got you. How much is that worth, that pile?
0:13:31 > 0:13:32Really?
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Just this pile?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38So talk me through the process. Who will pick that up?
0:13:38 > 0:13:39Who will get that coke?
0:13:49 > 0:13:53So the lads that are below you boys will get that coke,
0:13:53 > 0:13:54they'll take photos,
0:13:54 > 0:13:55they'll take videos...
0:14:02 > 0:14:04- Yeah. And off it goes.- Aye.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06It's that straightforward?
0:14:08 > 0:14:10How many boys have you got working below you
0:14:10 > 0:14:12that sell through Instagram?
0:14:13 > 0:14:14- Six!- Aye.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15Would you use kids?
0:14:17 > 0:14:18Really?
0:14:22 > 0:14:23How does that make you feel?
0:14:36 > 0:14:37How old's your kid?
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Really?
0:14:39 > 0:14:41So how would you feel if, in ten years' time,
0:14:41 > 0:14:42he was strung out on heroin?
0:14:45 > 0:14:46What would you do to the dealer?
0:14:51 > 0:14:52Can you see the hypocrisy there?
0:14:57 > 0:15:00The rest of the weekend orders are all packaged up
0:15:00 > 0:15:02and ready to be sold on social apps.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14That's that, another day in the office?
0:15:28 > 0:15:29How much is there?
0:15:34 > 0:15:37So, how much of that will have been made online, through the apps?
0:15:39 > 0:15:40That much?
0:15:42 > 0:15:43So lucrative.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49Where do you put all the money?
0:15:49 > 0:15:50HE CHUCKLES WRYLY
0:15:53 > 0:15:55My God.
0:15:55 > 0:15:56Bloody hell.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Today was quite an eye-opener,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04to say the least.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Just the scale of their operations,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09and the amount of money that we're talking about...
0:16:11 > 0:16:14..and the idea that three quarters of their earnings
0:16:14 > 0:16:19are sometimes coming from social apps like Snapchat, Insta...
0:16:21 > 0:16:26Really highlights the direction that dealing's going, I suppose.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31You know, it's inevitable that these digital dealers are the future.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Watching Instagram's advertising campaign,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37it's pretty clear who their target audience is.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Users aged between 16 and 24
0:16:41 > 0:16:45make up over a third of UK account holders.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50But Snapchat appears to be the platform of choice
0:16:50 > 0:16:51for UK's teens,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54with over 75% of them using the app.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Connectivity with our drug dealers throughout the UK
0:16:58 > 0:17:01is boosted by a new feature called Snap Maps.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05The GPS technology helps you pinpoint your nearest drug supply.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08It's a dealers' free-for-all,
0:17:08 > 0:17:10that they are more than happy to exploit.
0:17:12 > 0:17:13I still have a lot of questions,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16so I've decided to get back in touch with Ty on Snapchat.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20He's agreed to meet me at Croydon train station
0:17:20 > 0:17:22with the six MDMA pills he promised me.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26He looks way more experienced than Denva.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Hopefully he can give me a better insight
0:17:28 > 0:17:30into this new world of dealing.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35The lad's saying he's down by Tesco Express,
0:17:35 > 0:17:36and wants to meet there -
0:17:36 > 0:17:38but we just can't, it's too far down.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41So I've just said, look, we're here,
0:17:41 > 0:17:43if you're coming, you're coming. If you're not, cool.
0:17:54 > 0:18:00Just got this text saying, "OK, jump on a 466 towards Coulsdon
0:18:00 > 0:18:02"and get off at Swan and Sugar Loaf."
0:18:23 > 0:18:26So, I think he's on his way.
0:18:28 > 0:18:29MESSAGE PING
0:18:32 > 0:18:33"I'm here, I'm outside Costa."
0:18:35 > 0:18:38I'm by the cycle hub.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57'I'm worried that this guy's going to suss me out.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01'He seems to me like an experienced dealer.'
0:19:02 > 0:19:03Hey, man.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05What's up?
0:19:05 > 0:19:06Thanks for coming here.
0:19:08 > 0:19:09Where shall we go?
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Cool.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17Yeah, good, man.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20So, what have you got?
0:19:20 > 0:19:21How many have you got?
0:19:22 > 0:19:23Can I see them?
0:19:26 > 0:19:27Shit, what ones are they?
0:19:27 > 0:19:29I thought you had the red ones?
0:19:31 > 0:19:32Oh, shit. Where'd you get them from?
0:19:34 > 0:19:35HE LAUGHS
0:19:35 > 0:19:36Fuck...
0:19:40 > 0:19:41How old are you?
0:19:42 > 0:19:43Fuck, you're so young!
0:19:45 > 0:19:48'He's only 16, but he oozes confidence.'
0:19:49 > 0:19:51OK. So you said 30?
0:19:53 > 0:19:56OK. So, Ty, I've got something to tell you,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59don't panic, we're nothing to do with the police.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03We're making a documentary about the drug dealers that sell to kids.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06You're not the only person we've been speaking to.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Would you talk to me, ten minutes?
0:20:10 > 0:20:11HE SIGHS
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Yeah? You and I will just have a quick chat.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16So, when did you start selling weed?
0:20:16 > 0:20:17How old?
0:20:19 > 0:20:2013, 12?! Through school?
0:20:25 > 0:20:26How much do you make?
0:20:27 > 0:20:28Give me an idea.
0:20:30 > 0:20:31Is it lucrative?
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Shit.
0:20:37 > 0:20:38So, how much, roughly, a day?
0:20:40 > 0:20:41300 a day? And you're 16?
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Over two grand a week?
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Fuck! What do you do with all that money?
0:20:50 > 0:20:51Who do you live with?
0:20:53 > 0:20:55She doesn't ask where the money comes from?
0:21:00 > 0:21:04Realistically, Ty, if it's quite easy for me to find you online,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06do you worry that you're too loud, too noisy,
0:21:06 > 0:21:07like, the police might find you?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Has that happened in the past?
0:21:23 > 0:21:28What would you say to the people who say that people like you,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31you have no morals, you have no ethics,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33you're responsible for these kids dying?
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I mean, do adults pressure you to get the kids as customers?
0:22:05 > 0:22:08So you don't feel any responsibility towards the people
0:22:08 > 0:22:09that you're selling the gear to?
0:22:10 > 0:22:13No? Even if they're at school? Kids?
0:22:15 > 0:22:16Do you feel like you're a kid?
0:22:18 > 0:22:20HE LAUGHS
0:22:20 > 0:22:21Could you get a normal job now?
0:22:27 > 0:22:28Yeah.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29You get addicted to the money?
0:22:34 > 0:22:35Yeah.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37So, where's your next customer?
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Nearby?
0:22:41 > 0:22:42Oh, really?
0:22:42 > 0:22:43What time you got to meet them?
0:22:47 > 0:22:49OK.
0:22:49 > 0:22:50Well, thank you for talking to me.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54I appreciate it, I accept that this probably isn't what you thought you
0:22:54 > 0:22:56were going to be doing this afternoon.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57Thank you.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00What?
0:23:01 > 0:23:03I know, I'm sorry, I apologise -
0:23:03 > 0:23:04but at least I'm not with the police.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09'I got to say, I'm actually totally blown away...'
0:23:11 > 0:23:12'..in terms of how open he was.'
0:23:13 > 0:23:16We were stood there for about 20 minutes.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19I was fully expecting him to kick off,
0:23:19 > 0:23:20or go for us,
0:23:20 > 0:23:22or go for the camera,
0:23:22 > 0:23:23or run away.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25But he was really poised,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27really calm,
0:23:27 > 0:23:28really considered,
0:23:28 > 0:23:30and really honest -
0:23:30 > 0:23:31and, for him,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33he doesn't carry any of the responsibility.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35He's just the dealer.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39He's not forcing the drugs on the kids, the kids go to him.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40In his mind, what's the problem?
0:23:44 > 0:23:47So, there you go. There's what a digital drug dealer looks like.
0:23:49 > 0:23:502017.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Not even an hour after we left him,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Ty is back on Snapchat,
0:23:57 > 0:23:58back to business,
0:23:58 > 0:23:59selling more drugs.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Over the course of my eight week investigation,
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I've been trying to speak with the people behind these apps.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15I want to find out first whether the big companies are aware
0:24:15 > 0:24:18of the sheer scale of drugs being sold on their sites -
0:24:18 > 0:24:22and, if so, ask, what exactly are they doing about it?
0:24:23 > 0:24:25I've written to all three platforms.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Both Instagram and Yellow replied,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29but Snapchat declined.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31After weeks of chasing,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33I still haven't had an official response from them,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36so I decide to go directly to the general manager
0:24:36 > 0:24:38at Snapchat's headquarters in London.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43I can't imagine her entertaining me out on the street -
0:24:43 > 0:24:44but I just think...
0:24:44 > 0:24:46if I show her that I'm serious,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49she might give me an interview.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51I just want to say, are you aware that this is going on?
0:24:52 > 0:24:55If you're not, now you do know, what do you plan to do?
0:24:57 > 0:25:00If you are, why on earth hasn't something been done sooner?
0:25:01 > 0:25:02INTERCOM RINGS
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Hello, I wonder if you can, please.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09It's Stacey Dooley here, from BBC Three.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13I was wondering if...Claire, the General Manager, was available?
0:25:13 > 0:25:15If she's due in at all today?
0:25:17 > 0:25:20I first wrote to Snapchat three weeks ago.
0:25:20 > 0:25:21Five e-mails later,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24and I'm still waiting for an official response from them.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Shortly after my brief chat with the receptionist,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Snapchat sent out a security guard.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34The head of communications comes down the street and spots me,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37so I confront him about his lack of response.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I think it's going to look quite appalling if you guys don't respond.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44But obviously, you know, it's your choice.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Cool. Do you know when Claire is in?
0:25:52 > 0:25:53No?
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Cool. OK. Thank you, Colin.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I just think it's a total embarrassment,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01the way they've handled this entire situation.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03I said very clearly, from the start,
0:26:03 > 0:26:08we've got evidence that shows your app is being used by kids
0:26:08 > 0:26:10to sell other children class As.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Do you want to have a conversation about it?
0:26:12 > 0:26:13Nothing back.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Just not arsed whatsoever.
0:26:15 > 0:26:16Now I've come out here today,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19the guy at communications has said that they never give interviews,
0:26:19 > 0:26:20they're above interviews,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23they don't feel they've got to justify themselves to anyone,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26despite the fact I'm telling them that what's going on
0:26:26 > 0:26:29is totally illegal, and they're putting kids' lives at risk -
0:26:29 > 0:26:30and if they sat down,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and didn't bury their head in the sand,
0:26:33 > 0:26:34they'd be forced to act,
0:26:34 > 0:26:35and that would cost money.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40So I can only imagine that's why they don't fancy talking.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Social app drug dealing is booming.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48It's never been easier for kids to get access to class A drugs -
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and yet no-one seems to be taking responsibility
0:26:51 > 0:26:53for safeguarding them.
0:26:53 > 0:26:58Three weeks after my e-mail and two days after our doorstep,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Snapchat finally sends an official response.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05"We have a dedicated team that work round the clock to enforce those
0:27:05 > 0:27:09"policies and to respond to requests from law enforcement.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12"We encourage all Snapchatters to report anything to us
0:27:12 > 0:27:14that doesn't belong on Snapchat,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17"by using our new in-app reporting tools."
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Instagram told us that buying or selling drugs is prohibited.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Instagram encourage anyone who comes across content similar
0:27:25 > 0:27:27to that appearing in our film to report it
0:27:27 > 0:27:29via the built-in reporting tools.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Yellow acknowledged they need to
0:27:32 > 0:27:35do more to prohibit the selling of drugs on their site,
0:27:35 > 0:27:37but they claim it's a problem in society
0:27:37 > 0:27:39that they cannot control.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43All three apps encourage users to report content
0:27:43 > 0:27:44that breaches their policies
0:27:44 > 0:27:46to dedicated teams,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49working around the clock to safeguard the platforms.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52So I decided to put that to the test,
0:27:52 > 0:27:56and reported three users who claimed to sell drugs through their apps,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Instagram,
0:27:58 > 0:27:59Yellow,
0:27:59 > 0:28:00and Snapchat.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04It's been five days since I reported our alleged dealers,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07and all three of them are still active on the apps.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11The in-built reporting tools don't appear to be working.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16I fear it's going to take something tragic to happen to these kids
0:28:16 > 0:28:20before Yellow, Snapchat and Instagram wake up,
0:28:20 > 0:28:21and take more action.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Until then,
0:28:23 > 0:28:26it will continue to be a drug dealer's paradise.