We are urging parents, carers and communities to look out for signs of county lines to help protect young people from being exploited by criminals. A county line is the criminal model where a dedicated phone number is used to advertise and supply drugs to our communities. A line typically exploits vulnerable people (including children) to transport, store, or sell class A drugs. The controllers of the line frequently reside in other larger cities. They are run by ‘line holders’ often linked to organised crime gangs (OCGs) and runners, usually children and young people, who deliver the drugs. This system of drug distribution is intrinsically linked to serious violence, knife crime and child criminal exploitation (CCE). Superintendent Victoria Downing, head of the major and organised crime team, said: “These operations rely heavily on the exploitation of children, who are often groomed, deceived or threatened into transporting and selling drugs for gangs. “Once a child becomes dependent on these groups, they can be coerced into more widespread criminal activity, often with threats of violence. "They are frequently subject to acts of theft or robbery, orchestrated by the controlling criminal, to ensure they are in debt bondage. A debt they are forced to pay by supplying more drugs. “Families and loved ones of the child are also threatened, so the impact of this kind of exploitation reaches far and wide. “We want to help parents, carers, young people and our communities to understand what county lines is and why it can be hard to recognise. “We will continue to work with partners to safeguard children and young people. This type of drug-related activity has no place in Staffordshire.” Some of the signs of CCE and county lines involvement are: They go missing from school or home and are often found in other areas They have money, new clothes or electronic devices and can't explain how they paid for them They may have several phones including a cheap, easily disposable mobile handset, usually a basic pay‑as‑you‑go device They get lots of texts or calls and are secretive about who they're speaking to Their school or work performance declines They display significant changes in emotional or physical well-being.
If you have concerns about county lines, call us on 101, or 999 in an emergency. You can also use the Live Chat service on our website. If you’d rather stay anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. | 
