The answer given in the Burnham inquiry was that the "high stakes" were the issue. There was a belief that this would "inflame community tensions" because of the gravity of the crimes and indeed the press's interest in all sexual crimes. A not unrealistic expectation. Whereas the regular "swoops" on counterfeit goods and drugs arrests tend to be treated as routine by our local media and really get little coverage. Certainly no national coverage. The fact that this was known about actually reflects that the Police and authorities were "on to" some of these gangs because they were engaged in "lower level" criminality. It was this sort of knowledge that originally began serious investigation here, "Operation Augusta" which was dropped. Maggie Oliver was one of the officers and tells the story here thefp.com/p/maggie-oliv…