Swindon & Wiltshire: Spot the signs of County Lines to keep vulnerable people safe

Along with our Fearless youth service, we have launched a campaign in Swindon and Wiltshire, focusing on the signs to look out for that County Lines is happening and how to report it 100% anonymously.
 
County Lines drug gangs are an increasing problem, which leads to the exploitation of young people and vulnerable adults. Often the public or friends and families of those drawn into County Lines are unaware of the signs of what exploitation of vulnerable people by criminal gangs may look like.
 
We have recently produced a training package on County Lines for taxi drivers in Swindon and Wiltshire, focusing on the signs to look out for and how to report 100% anonymously to our charity.
 
The campaign will highlight how organised criminal gangs target people to find out their vulnerabilities. A lifestyle is then sold before loyalty is tested, often through asking for favours and offering a sense of protection, in return for couriering illegal drugs and money across cities, towns and villages, known as County Lines. 
 
Sadly, these relationships soon turn violent, leading to those exploited being trapped through 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 to contact our charity 100% anonymously, by calling 0800 555 111 at any time or by completing a secure online form. More can be learnt about the warning signs of County Lines activity at Fearless.org 
 
 Fearless also offers young people non-judgemental advice so they can make informed decisions about lifestyle choices and realise that they have an alternative option when reporting crime.

“We know that drug gangs use violence and intimidation to coerce individuals to do what they want them to do. This level of exploitation often leads to people feeling that they have become trapped and they often do not know how to get out.   

“We are asking the public to remain vigilant to the signs of grooming and the three grooming stages of targeting, testing and trapping. We are also appealing to everyone to help protect vulnerable members in our community from County Lines activity by speaking up about your concerns to the authorities.  
 
“Information can be passed to Crimestoppers or Fearless for young people, which are independent of the police, at any time, by calling 0800 555 111 or by completing a safe and secure anonymous online from at Crimestoppers-uk.org or Fearless.org, 100% anonymously without fear of any repercussions. Our charity has always kept its promise of anonymity to everyone who contacts us.”

Beth Simpson, Crimestoppers Regional Manager 

A free training session will take place online on Monday 13 November for professionals working with young people in Swindon and Wiltshire, to learn more about the Fearless anonymous reporting service and how to speak to young people about barriers to reporting crime.
 
The session will cover the difference between ‘snitching’ and reporting, along with the Bystander Approach, and what it means to be an ‘active bystander’, which describes choosing to take appropriate action when you know that behaviour is not acceptable.
 
Visit Fearless.org for more information on Fearless and the resources it has available for young people and their peers. 
 
Please note: With Fearless.org and Crimestoppers-uk.org, computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted us. For telephone calls to Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111, there is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and calls have never been traced. 
 

Find out more about County Lines and Cuckooing signs to spot.