Crime Stoppers Campaign

We’re pleased to share details of Crimestoppers’ upcoming national County Lines campaign:

Missing, Controlled and Exploited: Spot the Signs Before It’s Too Late.

County Lines is often viewed as a drug crime issue, but at its heart is the exploitation of children and vulnerable people by organised criminal gangs. Many young people are groomed, controlled and coerced into transporting drugs, money or weapons, often while being reported missing from home, school or care. Missing episodes are one of the strongest indicators that a child may be at risk of County Lines exploitation.

The campaign aims to help the public recognise these warning signs, understand that exploited children are victims rather than offenders, and feel confident sharing information with Crimestoppers anonymously. We also want to increase awareness of the link between missing children and criminal exploitation, helping communities identify concerns earlier and support safeguarding interventions.

The scale of the issue is significant:

• 86,900 missing incidents involving children in care were recorded in England.

• 39,200 children were recorded as missing from education.

• 15,500 children have been identified as at risk of criminal exploitation across the UK.

• Up to 11,600 children are estimated to be at risk from County Lines

 exploitation, with missing episodes identified as a key indicator of harm.

• Three in four County Lines offenders are linked to violence or weapons offences.