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County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.
They exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs. This is often referred to as ‘drug running’. Criminals may also use a vulnerable person’s home as their base of operations. This is known as ‘cuckooing’.
There are several signs to look out for that may indicate someone is involved in county lines:
Criminal networks use social media to groom and recruit children for county lines. They may send them direct messages (knowns as ‘DMs’), or share messages to wider groups as ‘stories’ or ‘posts’.
OCGs often use high levels of violence and intimidation to protect the ‘county line’ and control them. One of these forms of control exploits vulnerable people by using their home as a base for dealing drugs, a process known as cuckooing. Dealers often convince the vulnerable person to let their home be used for drug dealing by giving them free drugs or offering to pay for food or utilities.
Often OCGs target people who are lonely, isolated, or have addiction issues. It's common for OCGs to use a property for a short amount of time, moving address frequently to reduce the chance of being caught.
There are several signs to look out for that may indicate someone is a victim of cuckooing:
Children and young people involved in county lines may go missing or be out of touch for long periods. During these times, they may be at risk of harm or violence.
If you are reporting a child as missing, you should look out for signs they may be getting exploited. You should note:
You can seek additional support from Missing People's SafeCall service, which is dedicated to those impacted by county lines.
Call 999 now in emergency situations like these:
If you’re concerned about drug-related crime in your area or think someone may be a victim of drug exploitation, report it online.
Call us on 101.
You can report anonymously via the Crimestoppers website or by calling 0800 555 111.
No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will not go to court or have to speak to police when contacting Crimestoppers. But any details you can give are extremely valuable in helping us plan how we police each area.
Private message us on Facebook and Twitter
If you are worried about a child or young person in Stoke-on-Trent, contact the Safeguarding Referral Team on 01782 235100 or out of hours 01782 234234
If you are worried about a child or young person in Staffordshire contact First Response on 0300 111 0007 or out of hours 0345 6042 886.
This organisation works with children and young people who are at risk of, or experiencing, Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE).
They offer support and interventions to children, young people and their parents and siblings.
Email Catch22 or phone 07834 341601.