Child Criminal Exploitation - County Lines

County Lines is a term used to describe the process where gangs or organised criminal networks move illegal drugs from an urban hub location out into other towns, rural and coastal areas. This frequently involves exploiting children to courier drugs and money between different locations. The activity is co-ordinated by the use of mobile phones (the phone lines are the ‘county lines’) and can heavily feature violence, intimidation and coercion to maintain control of the exploited children.  

The National Crime agency defines County Lines as the following: 

County lines relates to the supply of class A drugs (primarily crack cocaine and heroin) from an urban hub into rural towns or county locations. This is facilitated by a group who may not necessarily be affiliated as a gang, but who have developed networks across geographical boundaries to access and exploit existing drugs markets in these areas 

The exploitation of young and vulnerable persons is a common feature in the facilitation of county lines drugs supply, whether for the storage or supply of drugs, the movement of cash, or to secure the use of dwellings held by vulnerable people in the rural marketplace (commonly referred to as cuckooing). 

County lines groups use high levels of violence and intimidation to establish and maintain markets, whether that’s forcing existing suppliers out, as a means to enact some form of retribution, controlling vulnerable individuals or as a general show of strength. Levels of violence vary considerably but it often includes the use of knives, corrosives, firearms and other weapons. 

(County Lines, Violence, Exploitation and Drug Supply National Crime Agency 2017.)

What are the signs?

This is not an exhaustive list, but some common indicators are: 

  • Going missing from home or school
  • Suddenly having lots of money, new possessions, new clothes or trainers that they cannot account for
  • Receiving more calls/texts than usual
  • Being very protective of their mobile phone or having multiple phones or SIM cards
  • Using new language, words or hand signs you wouldn’t expect them to know
  • Changing their appearance, e.g. dressing in a particular way or style, use of particular colours
  • Being scared, aggressive, distant or angry
  • Talking about an individual or group who has a lot of influence over them
  • Hanging around with individuals or groups that are older than them and breaking ties with old friends
  • Dropping out of positive activities and hobbies
  • Unexplained physical injuries and/or refusal to seek or accept medical treatment
  • Travelling alone to places far from home or being found by services out of area
  • Carrying drugs, large amounts of money or weapons
  • Self-harming and substance misuse issues 

It’s important to note that the young people themselves may not see themselves as victims: they may see their situation as consensual and their choice. However, children cannot consent to their own exploitation. Please see the ‘Resources’ section at the bottom to find out more about the language professionals should use (and not use) within this context.

Children as young as 7 can be recruited and nobody really knows how many children across the country are being forced to take part in County Lines activity. Sadly, children exploited through County Lines can be treated as criminals themselves rather than as victims of trafficking and exploitation. Exploited children do not fit any particular demographic; criminals recruit both males and females and any ethnicity or nationality.

Criminals may deliberately target young people if they appear to have additional vulnerabilities such as having learning difficulties, experiencing the breakdown of family, struggling at school, living in care homes/being a Looked After Child or experiencing deprivation or poverty at home.

Criminals then groom children into trafficking their drugs with promises of money, status, protection, friendships or relationships. Once the children are drawn in they are controlled by threats, violence and abuse until they feel they no longer have any choice but to continue in this way.

Resources and further information