County lines
County Lines is where people are used by criminal gangs to move drugs from one area to another.
A County Line is the mobile phone given to the victim to take orders of drugs. A victim could be used to transport drugs a short distance across a town, or they could be sent on a long journey via public transport. They can be exposed to some extremely dangerous situations, including drug use, using weapons and physical or sexual abuse.
They could be tempted in with the promise of friendship, belonging to a group and expensive gifts, but once involved, it can be very difficult to escape. They might be told they have a debt to pay off by carrying out more work and if they don’t do it, they could face threats or violence towards themselves or those close to them.
What are the signs?
Initially those involved in County Lines might not see themselves as a victim or realise they are being exploited. The signs that someone could be involved with County Lines include:
- Suddenly having lots of money
- Having new things, such as expensive clothes or trainers
- An additional phone - often receiving multiple texts and calls
- Using drugs and/or alcohol
- Carrying a weapon
- Going missing from home, being absent from school/work or staying out late
- Having new friends and ignoring old friendships
- Having unexplained bruises or other injuries
- Encouraged to keep a relationship secret
- In a sexual relationship they are not comfortable with
What Could Happen to people involved in County Lines?
The victims of County Lines are the ones most at risk of being caught. It is possible to make a defence that they are the victim of exploitation rather than acting as a criminal of their own free will, but obviously there is a high chance of getting a criminal record, which can affect where they work or travel in the future.
Anyone who is part of a gang could also be arrested for crimes they commit, even if they did not take part in it. This is called the law of joint enterprise.
Being involved in a gang puts them at high risk of being hurt or sexually abused. By mixing in a world of violent crime, knives and guns there’s a very real danger of being seriously injured, or even killed. The people they work for might use violence to make them continue committing crimes for them, or they might threaten their family and friends. They could also be forced into sexual activity to pay off their debt.
They might find themselves using drugs and alcohol, which can cause serious physical and mental harm. They could become addicted to drugs and criminal gangs might use this to make them work more for them, by offering drugs as payment.
Gangs sometimes arrange for the person to be robbed while carrying their drugs or money, then tell them that they owe the gang for the loss and have to do more work for them.