Up to 10,000 kids as young as 11 being used to traffic drugs across 2,000 ‘county lines’ in UK
Youngsters are being groomed to ferry the Class A substances by gangmasters using promises of cash, designer clothing, luxury cars and other high value goods to lure them in
UP to 10,000 kids as young as 11 are being used to traffic drugs across 2,000 'county lines' in Britain, it was revealed.
The number of county lines drug rackets uncovered by cops almost trebled last year - with an army of kid mules ferrying Class A drugs from cities and large towns to rural areas and coastal towns across Britain.
The National Crime Agency identified active smuggling routes in the UK had soared up from 720 to 2,000 last year.
In its annual county lines threat assessment report on Monday, NCA revealed how oganised crime networks made between £3,000 to £5,000 a day from each county line, with overall profits of £500 million, said the NCA.
Gangs took short leases on properties rented through Airbnb and also used “cuckoo nest” tactics to taken over premises of junkies and vulnerable people, the organisation said.
The report said most of those involved in the county lines networks – so-named after the phone lines used to sell drugs - were boys and girls aged 15 to 17 who were exploited and groomed to ferry the drugs by public transport.
Promises of 'flash lifestyle'
It added that “children may have been approached before the age of 11 in some cases as offenders seek to build a relationship that they can later exploit."
Although gangs mainly target under-privileged youngsters, others from "seemingly stable" backgrounds or a criminal record had been targeted, said the report.
Kids were recruited face-to-face and via social media with images and videos of cash, designer clothing, luxury cars and other high value goods being used to lure them.
The report also flagged up an "emerging trend" of app-based taxi services being used by dealers to supply areas. Although girls were not often directly involved in drug selling directly, they were used as gofers and sexual playthings by gang bosses.
The report’s release follows a massive week-long crackdown on county lines networks resulting in 600 arrests of suspected gang members up to last Sunday. Around 600 children were offered sanctuary and assistance by police, health officials and local social services.
Drug dealing is a centuries-old crime, but county lines uses exploitation against children. We think the level of violence is under reported.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Duncan Ball
A 15-year-old youngster missing from Liverpool was found during a raid at an Aberdeen address, where 76 wraps of crack cocaine and 22 wraps of heroin were seized. More than 400 adults – many believed to be addicts - were also approached and offered help.
Forty people being used as slaves under threat of violence to run drug dens, were referred to the National Referral Mechanism for human trafficking victims.
A substantial amount of heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine was seized by police in the operation, along with drug supplying mobile phones and £200,000 in cash. More than 140 weapons, including 12 firearms, swords, axes and knives, were seized during the “Intensification Week” between January 21 and 27.
A 'national threat'
In its fourth annual assessment on the problem, the NCA said the supply of Class A drugs through the county lines business model is a "significant, national threat" and a majory priority to tackle.
London's Metropolitan Police has the highest percentage of dealing lines, with 15%, followed by West Midlands Police (9%) and Merseyside Police (7%).
The NCA also said there were 23 forces across Britain from where drug gangs had operated county line smuggling routes, with rackets being run out of bigger towns into smaller places.
NCA director Nikki Holland stressed the increase in known county line operations over the last 12 months indicates an “an increasing awareness of law enforcement” about the “scale of the problem."
She added:"It's not just the urban cities now, sometimes areas are importing and exporting drugs. What's different is the length people are being sent across the country."
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She added:"Estimates from the report of 2,000 lines suggests that up to 10,000 children could be involved."
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Duncan Ball, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for county lines, said: “Drug dealing is a centuries-old crime, but county lines uses exploitation against children. We think the level of violence is under reported.”
He added: "One of the biggest challenges is getting people to realise they are a victim. Some don't see themselves at exploited because they are rewarded."
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