Photo: spotreporting, flickr

Police are searching for a young girl who is believed to have been trafficked into the country with links to a drug ring.

Vananh Nguyen, who is thought to be 11 years old, was reported missing last month.

Prior to her disappearance police had discovered the girl in a flat in Moore Road, Upper Norwood, Croydon, surrounded by 330 cannabis plants.

Nguyen was the only suspect present in the property at the time, however the Crown Prosecution Service didn’t pursue the case as evidence suggested she was the victim of trafficking.

She was subsequently placed in the care of Croydon council who found her a foster home.

Police were due to meet with her on last month to discuss being trafficked and carryout an age assessment amidst concern that the girl is much older than she first told police.

A police spokesperson said: “There was a meeting planned and an age assessment was due to take place.”

When a young person is suspected to have been trafficked into the United Kingdom, they fall under the care of the local authority within the terms of an ongoing child protection investigation.

Croydon police have referred the case to the missing person’s unit, and have not released any further information.