Yesterday's guilty verdict against Matteullah Siddiqi has left many in Scotland reeling, as the 20-year-old drug dealer was found responsible for exploiting a 14-year-old schoolboy to sell Class A drugs. The High Court in Glasgow heard harrowing details of how Siddiqi preyed on the vulnerable teenager after meeting him at a games arcade in Glasgow during the summer holidays of 2025.
The court was told that Siddiqi initially approached the boy, suggesting he could make money by selling drugs, and eventually persuaded him by implying the cash could help his mother. The boy was subsequently taken to a known drug den in Glasgow in mid-July 2025, where he was instructed on how to 'bag up' crack cocaine.
The teenager's involvement escalated over the following weeks, with him being directed to travel to Ayr to distribute further samples of cocaine. His school attendance deteriorated significantly, culminating in an 11-day absence in September 2025. It was these concerns from teachers that prompted contact with his mother, leading to the boy’s eventual confession about delivering 'heavy drugs' for an older male.
The gravity of the situation became clear when the boy was referred to the Home Office National Referral Mechanism, which concluded he was a 'victim of exploitation'. Siddiqi was apprehended by police in Glasgow's Castlemilk area on 19 September 2025, found with two phones and attempting to evade officers. During the struggle, a police constable sustained shoulder ligament damage. Police seized almost £3,000 worth of heroin that fell from Siddiqi's jacket.
This conviction highlights concerns over the increasing sophistication of drug networks in exploiting vulnerable young people. The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) plays a crucial role in identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and exploitation, including child criminal exploitation (CCE). Recent Home Office statistics show that a significant proportion of referrals to the NRM involve children, with CCE being a growing concern.
The broader implications of such exploitation extend to public health, as vulnerable individuals, including children, are drawn into dangerous environments associated with drug use and distribution. The case has sparked calls for greater awareness among schools, communities, and families about the warning signs of child criminal exploitation and the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the authorities.