Last week saw a ‘County Lines Intensification Week’. Police forces across the UK shared intelligence and worked to tackle drugs networks.
For example, almost 40 warrants were executed across the West Midlands last week at addresses suspected of being linked to cross-border drugs supply chains. It resulted in the arrest of 64 people – 11 already charged with offences – plus the seizure of 225 wraps of cocaine and heroin, more than 1,000 cannabis plants, plus weapons including imitation handguns. West Midlands Police (WMP) also ran ANPR operations on the roads; and a two-day operation in South Wales after recent incidents of missing West Midlands children being found in Swansea.
British Transport Police (BTP) were on the lookout for offenders at train stations and other transport hubs. WMP suggests around 100 County Lines are running out of Birmingham across the UK, to as far afield as Cornwall and Scotland.
An operation, led by BTP, ran at Swansea station on Wednesday, September 16 and then at stations along the line including Neath, Llanelli and Carmarthen. A knife arch was set up at Swansea station to detect weapons. BTP reports that it has been carrying out County Lines operations across England, Wales and Scotland since it secured Home Office funding for a ‘taskforce’ in December 2019. The force says that key indicators of a teenager involved in county lines drug dealing include travelling long distances, alone with a large amount of cash, or avoiding any sort of authority at stations.
WMP lead officer for County Lines, Supt Rich Agar, described ‘county Lines’ as a really cynical crime. He said: “Offenders often groom and exploit children to do the drug running – the dirty, dangerous work – on their behalf. They see vulnerable people as commodities. So while we had a real focus on going after suspected offenders, we also invested lots of time and effort reaching children to raise awareness with them of the risks and to show that we’re here to support them.
“We did around 80 inputs at schools and also spoke to teenagers in children’s homes; we need to work collectively to keep vulnerable children safe from the clutches of drugs gangs.”
The week nationally was coordinated by the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC), jointly led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the National Crime Agency (NCA), funded by the Home Office. Some 1041 were arrested, and 861 cuckooed addresses visited.
Nikki Holland, NCA Director of Investigations and joint national County Lines lead, said: “The violence, exploitation and utter misery caused by County Lines networks can be felt all the way from the top of the chain in the countries where the drugs are produced, right to the bottom on the streets of the UK.
“The NCA targets the international organised criminal groups who smuggle the drugs into the country that are then filtered down to the children being forced to transport them across the UK. By focusing on those at the top of the chain and effectively cutting the head off the snake, we reduce drug supply to the UK, making it an unviable business for the criminals involved.”
What to do
Anyone with concerns about County Lines can speak to local police on 101 or call 999 in an emergency. If you would rather stay anonymous you can call the crime-reporting charity Crimestoppers free, on 0800 555 111. A young person who is worried about being involved in County Lines, or knows someone who is, can contact www.fearless.org to pass on information about crime anonymously.
