Police continue to target county lines drug gangs during lockdown
West Mercia Police today said it was continuing to target county lines drug gangs, even during lockdown.
Chief Superintendent Tom Harding, Head of Local Policing, said: “We know that some young and vulnerable people have been put in difficult and frightening situations and have made decisions that have unfortunately changed their lives and the lives of others forever.
“I want to send a clear message to county lines drug gangs exploiting young and vulnerable people in our communities that despite the country being in lockdown we are continuing to focus our efforts to target them.
“The public play a huge part in supporting our work and I would encourage anyone who is concerned someone they know is being targeted to let us know.
“We want friends to look out for each other. We know the past few weeks have been difficult for young people and they have not been able to meet up with their friends, but it could be they know one of their friends is still going out and meeting up with older people, maybe they have started to talk about expensive gifts they have been given, or talk about associating with older people.
“We know some young people may not want to talk to the police about their concerns, they don’t need to. Information can be passed anonymously to Fearless, an organisation dedicated to young people with a host of information and advice.”
What is County Lines?
County lines drug gangs exploit young or vulnerable people, using sophisticated grooming techniques to coerce them into selling drugs, before using fear and violence to control them.
For many young people the lure of extra money or gifts, such as expensive trainers or clothes, can seem tempting. But, these tactics mean the young person is then in the debt of the drugs gang and, owes them a favour, which they call in by coercing them into carrying a weapon or selling drugs.
County lines drug gangs have no issue in putting a young or vulnerable person at risk to facilitate their drug dealing.
Signs of drug dealing
- Unexpected visitors coming and going from a neighbour’s house at all hours of the day or night.
- A continual stream of visitors who don’t stay long, or who arrive with electrical items, bikes or bags but leave without them.
- Potential transactions carried out through car windows outside properties.
- Cars parked for long periods without moving, but with continual visits to collect items from within the car.
- A young person (who is not their child) suddenly living in a neighbour’s house.
Signs that a young person might be being groomed or exploited:
- A child or young person repeatedly going missing from home or their care home.
- Significant changes in the well-being of a child or young person – they might be more angry or withdrawn than normal.
- Had they started to hang around with different or older people, have an older boy or girlfriend and perhaps aren’t seeing their existing friends as much before lockdown?
- Are they coming home with money or items they can’t afford, or they are unwilling explain where they got them – such as phones, expensive trainers or clothes?
- Suspicion of self-harm, physical assault or unexplained injuries.
- Being secretive about where they are, what they are doing, who they are seeing.
- Will they let you look in their bags or pockets?
- Will they let you look at their phone, are they secretive about who is calling or messaging? Do they have multiple mobile phones?
- Are they scared to go out or perhaps reticent to go to certain places?
- A lone child from outside of the area.
West Mercia Police says that many of these signs might just be down to typical teenage challenges and part of growing up, exam pressures, boredom in lockdown, teenage relationships or other stressful issues. But they could also be signs that a young person is being groomed or used by criminals or gangs.
Report Concerns
Concerns can be reported online at
https://www.westmercia.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/.
If you don’t want to speak to police, you can anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ . They never ask your name and cannot trace your call, and you could earn a reward. Young people can pass on information anonymously and find further information and advice on the Fearless website www.fearless.org/
If it is an emergency, a crime is in progress or life is at immediate risk always ring 999.
