County Lines

County Lines

County lines activity is not just about drugs. It is about the exploitation of children.

The impact of county lines is often wide reaching - leaving families living with fear and uncertainty.

A child may become withdrawn, disappear overnight or stop communicating with the people who care about them. Missing episodes are an indicator that the child is being exploited

Young people can be groomed with gifts, unexplained money, new phones and given a sense of belonging, before being controlled through fear, debt or intimidation.

Behind every statistic is a child or vulnerable person being groomed, controlled or exploited by organised criminals. The figures below highlight the scale of the county lines threat across the UK.

15,500 children identified as at risk of criminal exploitation across the UK

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

3 in 4 County Lines offenders are linked to violence or weapons offences

If something doesn’t feel right or if you are worried about someone, trust your instincts, you can contact Crimestoppers 100% anonymously. Call 0800 555111

If someone is in immediate danger call 999.

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Message Sent By
Andy Frisby
(Devon & Cornwall Police, Police Community Support Officer, Braunton)