County lines

What is county lines exploitation?

County lines is a major, cross-cutting issue involving drugs, violence, gangs, safeguarding, criminal and sexual exploitation, modern slavery, and missing persons; and the response to tackle it involves the police, the National Crime Agency, a wide range of Government departments, local government agencies and VCS (voluntary and community sector) organisations.

Click here to view a media clip explaining ‘what is county lines?’, produced by University of Greenwich.

Child Criminal Exploitation is common in county lines and occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual. Child Criminal Exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.

For more information on County lines please see:

Home Office Guidance: Criminal Exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: County Lines guidance – September 2018

National Crime Agency Briefing Report: County Lines Drug Supply Vulnerability and Harm 2018

The Children’s Society Toolkit: Toolkit for working with children and young people trafficked for the purpose of criminal exploitation in relation to County Lines - December 2017