County Lines crackdown in Lincolnshire

A crackdown on County Lines activity in the county led to 14 arrests, the seizure of an air rifle and other weapons, safeguarding of six vulnerable people at risk of being exploited, and tens of thousands of people educated about the issue. 

We target County Lines activity all year round, and the latest push was in support of the national County Lines Intensification Week coordinated by the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC), which ran from Monday 4 to Sunday 10 March. 

Our efforts focused on prevention through direct engagement and education with young people - the most likely group to be drawn into and exploited by County Lines - as well as businesses about the risks and signs of County Lines involvement. 

County Lines is the term used to describe drug dealing where mobile phones are used to supply drugs from large cities to towns and rural areas. The 'line' refers to the mobile phone number used to broker these deals, and are run by ‘line holders’ while the runners, often vulnerable people, deliver the drugs. The system of drug distribution leads to serious violence, and the likely exploitation of children and vulnerable adults brought into run the drugs, through coercion, intimidation, violence – including sexual violence – and weapons.

Over the week of action, 24,280 shoppers at Lincolnshire Co-operative stores people heard messaging about how to spot the signs of County Lines and cuckooing - which is where the home of a vulnerable person is taken over by drug dealers. This was thanks to a partnership with the Co-operative and police which used educational material from the charity The Children's Society's #LookCloser campaign. Messages were played on loud speakers at 95 stores over a two-week period, and there was also personalised messaging about #LookCloser sent directly to 3,000 members of staff.

The Lincolnshire Police Youth Engagement Team also delivered interactive sessions on County Lines to young people across three schools, engaging directly with 550 people. The Skegness Accommodation Watch was launched to provide local business members with guidance on spotting the signs of exploitation, protecting those who may be vulnerable and reporting mechanisms. A meeting for that was attended by 11 establishments, while 12 taxi licencing managers from local authorities were given training at Lincolnshire Police HQ, supported by Crimestoppers and the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN).

Neighbourhood Policing Teams also spent time visiting high-end retail shops including fashion, sports, jewellery, and buy-back shops, as well as libraries, hospitals, and shopping centres to promote awareness and spotting signs around County Lines and child exploitation using #LookCloser material.

Other highlights include:

• A warrant carried out in Gordon Street, Gainsborough on 4 March which led to the seizure of 100g cannabis resin and £520 in cash;
• The arrest of two people on suspicion of possession of weapons, both from the Bedfordshire area and who had links to a County Line in Warwickshire;
• A multi-agency operation with police, housing providers, and local authorities to visit 32 addresses across the county suspected of being connected with County Lines activity through cuckooing, with 288 households near to those properties also being provided with leaflets on cuckooing;
• One woman, four men, and one boy at risk of being exploited safeguarded 
• One National Referral Mechanism submitted. This is a system used to identify victims of human trafficking and ensuring that they receive the appropriate protection and support;
• Two Section 8 notices issued in Stamford and Skegness, which informs the tenant of a property that they are liable for prosecution if drugs activity takes place at their address;
• One closure order issued;
• One mother and adult son moved to emergency accommodation pending a permanent move.

Detective Inspector Gail Hurley from the Force Intelligence Bureau, said: "The criminals operating County Lines prey on the most vulnerable members of society, pulling them in to a world of exploitation, danger, and fear. With that activity comes related crime, often violent, and this is why we make it a priority to target County Lines throughout the year. For this latest intensification week, we have focused on prevention and education because arming people with the knowledge of how to avoid becoming enticed into that life, or how to spot the signs and take action, is one of the key ways to tackle it. 

"Our communities pay a hug part in the success of cracking down on County Lines activity by providing much-needed intelligence around drug-dealing, suspicious activity, or vulnerability, and we would encourage people to continue to do this."

If you have concerns about someone you know being involved in County Lines, you can find out more here: https://www.lincs.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/cl/county-lines/