What does County Lines look like

Crime stoppers have launched a campaign to help tackle violent County Lines gang activity.

Their charity has seen a rise in the number of reports we have received.

If you are concerned that vulnerable people you know are being exploited by gangs, fill in our online form 100% anonymously.

Below is a fictional case study to illustrate what County Lines could look like

A victim, now 18, was groomed into a County Lines drug gang at the age of 15. Her recruitment started online via the private chat in a video game. After a few initial conversations with the criminals, the chat swiftly moved onto a private messaging app.

 She increasingly started missing school and spent two days each week travelling to and from coastal towns in the southeast, where she would make day trips with bags of drugs or cash. She would typically have a different bag each time.

 She would sometimes look rough and dishevelled, and she was recently spotted with bruising around her right eye.

 People close to her noticed she was always on a second phone, something she claimed was a gift from her new “boyfriend”. Although jobless, she always had a few hundred pounds in cash on her.

Most victims end up feeling ‘trapped’ in this criminal underworld, experiencing violence, intimidation, and threats.

We are encouraging anyone with information about organised drug gangs – to contact our charity 100% anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 at any time or by completing a secure online form on our Crimestoppers website or via Fearless.org, our charity’s Fearless service for young people, where more can also be learnt about the warning signs of County Lines activity.

Message Sent By Tracey Walker (West Mercia police, pcso, Ellesmere Town and Rural)