What is the county lines child exploitation scandal and how are children being groomed to run drugs for London dealers?
Dealers exploit kids and vulnerable adults to grow their empires
COUNTY lines is a sinister drug running technique that gangs are using to sell drugs in other towns by exploiting kids and vulnerable adults.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has been urged to launch a national strategy to tackle the scourge of criminals using terrified mules to grow their criminal empire.
What does county lines mean?
County lines, or ‘going country’ involves gangs using young people or vulnerable adults to carry and sell drugs across county boundaries using dedicated mobile phone hotlines.
The advantage to dealers is they can sell drugs outside the area they live in - often impoverished towns - and therefore reduce the risk of getting caught.
A criminal group may also target a vulnerable person living in an area outside of London and other major cities and take over their home as a base to sell drugs from.
Boys aged 14-17 are the most often targeted, however girls can also be exploited, often starting a relationship with a gang member that can lead to sexual and domestic violence.
Adults who are drug addicts or have learning difficulties are also targeted.
How do criminal gangs force kids into county lines crime?
Gangs use a combination of violence and intimidation and the offer of money or drugs. The use of debt is a common feature in the exploitation of children and adults.
Children are often groomed by a criminal who will give them money and gifts like clothes and mobile phones.
The thugs will then tell them they owe the group money and have to work off the debt.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has also had reports of kids being robbed of drugs by the very gangs they work for in staged robberies. They then believe they are in debt to the group.
However, some take part willingly to earn cash - one British police force reported that a child had received £500 per week as a runner.
How bad is the problem?
A report by the NCA states the county lines method has been reported in seven police force regions.
There were 827 people who have been convicted, cautioned or recently arrested identified as being involved in this type of activity.
A total of 548 of them were aged between 17 and 25, with 39 aged 16 or under.
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