Running a County Line phone? We’ve got your number

More than 100 stop checks, 24 arrests, and five warrants have been carried out this week as we tackle suspected County Lines drug operations – but most importantly, six children and ten adults have been protected from future harm.

Neighbourhood Policing officers from Lincolnshire Police and officers from British Transport Police’s (BTP) County Lines Taskforce, assisted by the Metropolitan Police’s Op Orochi County Lines Taskforce, landed at Lincoln railway station on Wednesday and Thursday (2 and 3 October) to identify any passengers travelling to and from the city who might have been involved in County Lines drug dealing.

BTP’s passive drugs dog, PD Mace was on scene with her handler sniffing out potential drugs on passengers – and was rewarded with her much-loved tennis ball throughout both days for helping identify scores of people for officers to speak with.

Checks were also carried out at Sleaford railway station on Thursday, and in Lincoln High Street during both days, and foot patrols were carried out at Grantham railway station and the surrounding town on Thursday.

While this was happening, specialist search-trained officers and detectives targeted addresses in the Lincoln and Sleaford areas based on intelligence about potential County Lines activity. The warrants led to multiple arrests, the seizure of suspected imitation firearms, Class A drugs, and knives.

The operational activity was supported by voluntary and statutory safeguarding services for children and adults, to ensure that the right help could be accessed quickly and effectively.

The results:

• 24 arrests
• Five warrants – three in Sleaford and two in Lincoln
• 81 stop searches 
• 30 stop and accounts – this is when a police officer or PCSO stops you in a public place and asks you to account for yourself and may ask you what you're doing, where you've been, where you're going, what you're carrying
• Seven properties searched following proactive arrests in and around Lincoln
• An estimated £12k of cash and drugs seized
• Two imitation firearms and several knives seized
• Six children safeguarded
• Ten adults safeguarded, including one vulnerable man at risk of cuckooing
• Retail venues, hotels and cafes in all areas were visited and given prevention advice, told how to spot the signs of County Lines, and leaflets and posters were distributed
• Officers, safeguarding teams, and partners visited ‘The Happening’ in Sleaford, an immersive experience designed to divert people away from carrying a knife and becoming involved in serious violence.

Investigations are now ongoing in relation to the arrests made, and officers and safeguarding teams will be following up with those identified as needing support to divert them from becoming involved in drug dealing.

County Lines – what is it?

The multi-agency operation is part of efforts to crack down on County Lines, which is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

They exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs. This is often referred to as ‘drug running’, and those children or vulnerable people can become trapped in a life of criminality. Criminals may also use a vulnerable person’s home as their base of operations. This is known as ‘cuckooing’.

Further information and support

• The National Crime Agency County Lines website explains more about county lines and indicators of exploitation in your area.
• Safe 4 Me has details about support services nationally for young people impacted by Child Criminal and Sexual Exploitation. They also have lots of information regarding specific forms of exploitation, understanding trauma, rights and the law and much more. 
• The Safeguarding Network have helpful tips for understanding indicators of exploitation and what may make a young person more vulnerable to being exploited.
• The NSPCC offers guidance on understanding specific apps and platforms that young people may be using.