County Lines are criminal operations where illegal drugs are moved from one area to another by people who have been coerced into criminal activity by gangs.
It is a common misconception that the majority of victims involved in County Lines are children or young people. Few seem to realise that the issue affects adults at risk too.
Beyond the illegal drug trafficking, the areas where the drugs are taken to tend to report a corresponding increase in violence and weapons-related crimes.
The Extent of the County Lines Threat
To understand the scale of the County Lines threat, consider the numbers shared by the Home Office’s County Lines Programme.
Since 2019, there have been:
- 5,627 County Lines closed
- 16,536 people arrested
- 8,817 individuals referred to safeguarding services
How Do We Fight County Lines?
Law enforcement officials know that fighting County Lines is not a straightforward process. It’s not simply a case of making a few arrests. It’s only through working in partnership that we can make effective interventions and offer the necessary support.
In July 2024, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) launched a new national County Lines Policing Strategy. The fight against county lines depends on the four Ps:
- Prevent – To stop people from engaging in County Lines, and the associated violence and exploitation.
- Protect – Proactively safeguard at risk adults, young people, and children.
- Prepare – Build resilience among communities against the harms of County Lines.
- Pursue – Relentlessly target organised criminal groups, urban street gangs, and individuals running County Lines.
The Power of Working in Partnership
In March 2024, the NPCC coordinated a County Lines Intensification week, which resulted in over 1,800 arrests, over £2.5m of Class A and Class B drugs seized, along with around 660 weapons seized and around £1.8m in cash.
At the same time, 1,600 individuals were actively safeguarded thanks to close collaboration between police forces, service providers, and safeguarding charities.
Free Online Seminar – Understanding County Lines
On Thursday 21 November, we’re running a free online seminar as part of Safeguarding Adults Week focused on understanding the county lines threat.
We’ll be joined by Detective Inspector Richard Weber, who will share his experiences of investigating, and responding to, county lines activity in Wales.
The seminar will explore how we can recognise the signs and symptoms of County Lines activity. It will also provide an overview of the county lines picture locally and nationally. Finally, we will discuss how your organisation can help tackle exploitation in your community.
We cannot arrest our way out of the County Lines issue and need to work together to identify the perpetrators and safeguard those vulnerable to criminal exploitation. Many of those subject to criminal exploitation feel unable to speak out or don’t recognise that they are being exploited. It is therefore vital that professionals and charities are able to recognise these hidden harms and to know what to do when they see them. This session will provide delegates with an improved understanding of the threat and their role in countering it.
– Detective Inspector Richard Weber
Further Resources
- The National County Lines Co-Ordination Centre – Including the Disrupting County Lines Policing Strategy 2024 to 2027.
- National Crime Agency – County Lines hub, with a list of signs that might indicate that illegal activity is happening in your area.
- Metropolitan Police – Signs to look out for, including tips for detecting activity on social media.
- Home Office – An overview of the County Lines Programme.