County lines
Children and young people are targeted by drug dealers to move drugs from one area to another – this could be a short distance within a town or it might involve being sent a long way away. A "County Line" is the mobile phone given to the child or young person to take orders of drugs. If you are asked, forced or made to sell or move drugs for a County Line, you can find yourself in some really dangerous situations including drug use, using weapons and physical or sexual abuse.
People who exploit children and young people through County Lines are criminals. This might not be obvious as they may be somebody you know or trust.
County Lines is a type of exploitation, where criminals get you to do their work for them and are happy for you to take the blame.
The criminals might try to draw you in with the promise of friendship, belonging to a group and expensive gifts, but really they don’t care about you or what happens to you. You are just a way for them to make money from illegal activities without getting caught.
Once you are trapped in County Lines, it can be very difficult to get out. You might be told you have a ‘debt’ to pay off and the only way to do that is to do more work for the criminals. If you refuse, you or your family might be threatened with violence or actually hurt.
What are the signs?
To start with, you might not feel like you are being exploited and that the criminals are actually looking after you.
If any of these things are happening to you, it’s a sign that you could be being exploited:
- Offered drugs and/or alcohol for free
- Encouraged to carry or store a weapon or drugs
- Given a mobile phone or "burner phone"
- Being told you have a debt to pay
- Being given money or gifts, such as expensive clothes or trainers
- Having new friends, some of whom might be older than you
- Encouraging you to ignore old friendships, family or people that care for you
- Spending time away from school/work or staying out late
- Asked or made to travel to places away from where you live - during the day or overnight
- Threatened by someone or made to feel uncomfortable
- Encouraged to keep secrets
- In a sexual relationship you are not comfortable with
- Being expected to be publicly loyal to a particular group, for example
What could Happen to me?
Even if you are being forced to commit crimes, you could still get into trouble if you are caught. Having a criminal record can seriously affect the rest of your life, including where you can work and travel, so it’s important to realise that you are the victim and ask for help before it is too late.
If you’re part of a criminal group or "gang" that are committing crimes, you could also be arrested for crimes the others commit, even if you did not take part. This is called the law of joint enterprise.
Being involved with a criminal group or "gang" may put you at high risk of being hurt or sexually abused. County Lines is linked to violent crime, knives, drugs and guns - children and young people have been seriously injured, or even killed.
Criminal groups or "gangs" may arrange for you to be robbed while you are carrying their drugs or money, then tell you that you owe them for the loss and have to do more work for them, this includes if the police have taken the drugs or money from you during an arrest.