Bradford Gangs: Grooming, drug dealing and violence
Bradford is a city in West Yorkshire in the north of England that has often been celebrated for its cultural diversity and significance in the industrial revolution. However, Bradford also has a history of gang activity that has shaped the city – and the media’s headlines – for many years.
Join us here at Crime+Investigation as we dive deeper into the history of the gangs of Bradford, including how these gangs have changed over the years and their influence on the city.
The beginnings of gangs in Bradford
In the 1980s and 1990s, Bradford saw an increase of gangs of youths on the streets. This came about from the high unemployment rates along with the deindustrialisation of the town, leading to rivalries between territories. Poverty walked hand in hand with a severe lack of opportunities, causing strong tension between communities within the town. This is the case for many small towns that go through socio-economic crises.
Drug gangs in Bradford and racial tension
By the 90s and 00s, Bradford saw a rise in Asian drug gangs. These gangs would traffic and distribute hard drugs, with young runners working for larger, more organised networks. This rise led to young Asians in Bradford often clashing with the police. Racist attacks on Asian communities in the town also sparked violent confrontations. Racism against the Asian community had always been prevalent, but the Asian drug gang epidemic led to a significant increase.
Robbery and murder
In 2005, a particularly notable situation occurred in Bradford due to organised crime. Two police constables – Sharon Beshenivsky and Teresa Milburn – were shot when responding to an armed robbery. Beshenivsky died at the scene. After a lengthy investigation, various gang ringleaders were convicted, including Piran Ditta Khan who organised the robbery.
The rise of grooming and abuse
From the 2000s to the 2010s, the most prevalent organised crime in the area seemed to be the exploitation of children via grooming gangs. Several of these gangs were convicted, but it is an issue that the town still faces today. Robbie Moore – MP for Keighley and Ilkley – stated in January 2025 that the Bradford area had been 'haunted' for many decades by child grooming and 'rape gangs'.
A report from 2014 described the shocking amount of children – over 1,400– who were thought to have been sexually exploited in the nearby town of Rotherham. These cases ranged from 1997 to 2013. However, when speaking at an Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Moore stated that there is significant fear that 'the scale of this issue across the Bradford district will dwarf that of Rotherham'.
Not long ago, in August 2025, 10 men were arrested after an investigation into historic child grooming in Bradford. The men were aged between 49 and 71, and they are suspected to have committed offenses against six victims aged from 13 to 15 between 1994 and 1997. This is a severe issue that is often the focus of media headlines when it comes to gangs in Bradford.
County lines drug gangs
Another central organised crime gang in Bradford are drug dealers who follow the 'county lines' model for their distribution and trafficking. This model focuses on the exploitation of children and the most vulnerable in order to move drug supplies into smaller towns. These operations often involve violence and coercion to get drugs across cities and flowing through various towns.
One particular example is a gang who ran the 'Teddy Line' to get drugs such as heroin and cocaine into the town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. To do so, they used children as couriers. This operation was dismantled by North Yorkshire Police, with several of the gang members receiving 26 year jail sentences.
The work towards dismantling organised crime networks in Bradford is far from over. However, authorities have taken positive steps in recent years to tackle the issues, though this must continue if significant progress is to be made.
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