What is county lines exploitation?
“County lines” is a violent and exploitative form of drug distribution. A common feature of county lines is the exploitation of children, young people and vulnerable adults who are instructed to deliver and/or store drugs, and associated money or weapons, to dealers or drug users, locally or in other counties.
The UK Government defines county lines as:
‘County lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal line”. They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons.’ County Lines Programme overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If a child is found in a location away for their home, or a property that seems unconnected to them, we need to consider the risks around county lines.
Practice Example:
Boys aged 14 reported missing from home in Leeds on a Saturday afternoon and located by the police on Sunday night in a flat in a suburb of Chester. Boy was in possession of 20 wraps of heroin. In the property were knives, weighing scales and rolls of cash.
We need to ask:
- how did he travel there, how was this funded, who organised this?
- how are these people in contact with him? has he got a second phone?
- what are the consequences of him having drugs and money confiscated by the police? will he be in debt bondage, could his home address be targeted?
- has a child exploitation risk assessment been completed?
- what is he saying? does he have injuries? has he been made to carry drugs in person?
- given the risk of significant harm, a strategy meeting should be held
- complete a National Referral Mechanism (NRM)
County lines gangs use a range of tactics to minimise the risk of being identified and arrested, including the use of children and young and vulnerable people to service the drugs lines. These young or vulnerable people are often trafficked away from their homes, and can be the victims of other violent crimes committed to ensure there is control over the gang. This can include debt bondage (by staged robberies or aggravated burglaries of the houses which the drug runners are staying), general violence or sexual assault in order to instil fear and ensure submission to the gang’s demands. The drugs runners face severe penalties, including injury by stabbing and shooting, potentially including death, if they are suspected of assisting the police or a rival gang. Alternatively, some runners may work for multiple Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) and are treated as a commodity.
- When we are concerned about county lines we can include the British Transport Police, Railway children and use Catch 22 resources. Child exploitation | Catch22 (catch-22.org.uk) and Protecting children in the UK | Railway Children
- Please complete a NRM for any child who may have been involved in county lines.