County Lines

County Lines was identified in 2014; it describes the approach taken by gangs originating from large urban areas who travel to locations such as county or coastal towns to sell class A drugs. Urban gangs typically recruit and exploit local children/vulnerable young people to courier drugs and cash. They use local property as a base for activities; which involves taking over the home of a vulnerable adult who’s unable to challenge them. The model known as county lines refers to the use of a single telephone number for ordering drugs operated from outside the area which becomes the group’s brand.