Camden New Journal - by ROISIN GADELRAB Published: 24 May 2007
Ten boys banned in Inverness St clean up
Asbos for drug-dealing ‘African Nation Crew gang’
TEENAGE members of a street gang who dealt drugs in Camden Town, threatened police officers and intimidated members of the public, have been banned from parts of the borough for the next two years.
The boys, who police say belong to the African Nation Crew, a gang responsible for aggression and cannabis dealing in Camden, were given anti-social behaviour orders at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court this week.
However, Somali youth leaders said yesterday (Wednesday) they did not believe the boys were involved in gangs.
Ibrahim Issa, of the Somali Youth Development and Resource Centre (SYDRC), told the New Journal many youths had become involved in training projects to become community and sports development workers.
He said: “I don’t believe they are in gangs. We’ve a very good relationship with young people but we need funding. They are school leavers, unemployed, they need support otherwise they will remain carrying out anti-social behaviour.”
District Judge James Henderson heard how some of the boys were involved in a violent drug turf battle involving metal poles and missiles last September, regularly dealt cannabis and skunk near Inverness Street and Camden High Street and abused and attacked police in aggressive confrontations.
In total 10 teenagers face the claims, put together by Camden Town and Primrose Hill Safer Neighbourhoods Team, in an effort to clean up Inverness Street’s reputation as a notorious drugs hot spot.
The boys, aged between 16 and 18, cannot be named for legal reasons.
Judge Henderson was told how, between June and November last year one 18-year-old was caught on CCTV dealing cannabis on the corner of Inverness Street and Camden High Street, tried to sell to an undercover officer, and stashed drugs in his underwear.
The boys were issued with anti-social behaviour orders banning them from parts of Camden, being verbally abusive to others, and from associating with no more than two of the group in public places in Camden except during supervised events organised by the Somali Youth Development Project or Camden Youth Offending Team and Youth and Connexions Service.
