New drugs heat map reveals County Lines hotspots as we launch warning over drug gang exploitation

Heat map showing over 3,000 anonymous reports to our charity about suspected County Lines activity across the UK in 2022 (Map credit: Esri)

To help identify those at risk of being exploited and groomed into a life of drug dealing and other crimes by violent County Lines gangs, we are highlighting red flag signs to spot. 

Across the UK last year we received over 3,000 anonymous reports from concerned members of the public specifically mentioning suspected ‘County Lines’ activity. This is a snapshot of the wider drugs issue, as many people who pass on information about drugs and drug dealing may not mention the term County Lines. 

Overall, between April 2022 and March this year, we passed on over 100,000 drugs reports to police forces, which included information on illegal drug manufacturing and cultivation, drug trafficking, supplying and possession.

Today’s new UK-wide campaign warns that organised gangs are targeting young and vulnerable people who are trafficked, groomed and exploited into selling and `running’ drugs. Those exploited often do not realise that they are victims or that they have been groomed. They are offered gifts of money, clothes and food and feel loyal to those grooming them in return for couriering illegal drugs and money across cities, towns and villages. 

Once trust has been gained and a lifestyle of luxury has been sold, loyalty is put to the test. It starts with asking the young person for favours, with the gang offering a sense of family and protection. This often leads to them being exploited by becoming trapped through fear, debt bondage, trafficking, isolation from family and friends and physical, psychological and sexual abuse.

We are encouraging anyone with information or suspicions about organised drug gangs - and victims who need safeguarding - to contact our charity 100% anonymously by calling freephone 0800 555 111 at any time or by completing our secure Crimestoppers online form or Fearless anonymous online form, our Fearless service for young people.

Case studies
 
Information given to Crimestoppers anonymously which has made a difference: 

• County Lines drug gang arrests: Information given to Crimestoppers anonymously, which was passed to the police, helped secure numerous arrests of County Lines drug dealers who were selling crack and heroin. A series of raids at various addresses which followed, recovered large quantities of Class A drugs, cash and `burner’ mobile phones used to control this line.     
• County Lines gang members targeted: Multiple pieces of information Crimestoppers received helped police uncover a County Lines operation using cryptocurrency to money launder after running out of places to hide their profits. Reports Crimestoppers received and passed on prompted a lengthy police investigation which targeted a large number of gang members. 

Signs to spot

Anybody can get caught up in illegal, harmful drug activity. Signs that something may not be right include:
 -           Changes in the way young people you know might dress and unexplained
             sometimes unaffordable, new clothes, jewellery, phones
 -           Access to multiple phones/receiving excess phone calls or texts
 -           You witness them dealing drugs
 
Criminals can take over a home for short term let as a drugs base which is known as ‘cuckooing’: 
 -           Regular short stay visitors 
 -           Residents or young people going missing, maybe for long periods of time
 -           Curtains often closed throughout the day
 -           A change of their mood/demeanour (e.g. secretive/withdrawn/    
              aggressive/emotional)
 -           Unusual frequency of takeaway food 
 -           Increase in rubbish and drug paraphernalia
 

“We know that County Lines drug gangs lure young and vulnerable people by gaining their trust, only to trap them into a lifestyle of misery and exploitation through violence, abuse, blackmail and debt bondage. 
 
 “These gangs expand their operations quickly, with levels of violence and exploitation also increasing. Our charity’s national campaign reminds people that we can all play our part in helping to stop organised crime gangs by speaking up.

“We are asking people to be aware of the signs of grooming and appealing to everyone to help protect vulnerable members in our society from County Lines gangs by telling our charity what you know. Contacting Crimestoppers works. Your information, given completely anonymously, could make a huge difference.”
Mick Duthie, Crimestoppers Director of Operations

Please note: With Fearless.org and Crimestoppers-uk.org, computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted our charity. For telephone calls via freephone 0800 555 111, there is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and calls have never been traced.

Find out more about County Lines.