Latest news with #countyLines
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Government to create new law in drug trafficking crackdown
The Government is proposing a new law to criminalise the practice of "plugging", where gang leaders coerce vulnerable people into concealing drugs and cash inside their bodies. The amendment will be incorporated into the Crime and Policing Bill to combat county lines drug operations, where children and vulnerable adults are often forced to swallow or hide items, risking serious harm and fatal overdose. Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said the new offence aims to hold gang leaders accountable and could lead to a decade in prison. The government has committed £42 million to tackle county lines gangs, resulting in over 800 violent criminals charged and 1,200 drug lines closed since July 2024. Jack O'Neill of The Children's Society said that children forced to carry drugs are victims of abuse and exploitation.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Criminals to face jail over forcing children to conceal drugs under new offence
Gang leaders who force vulnerable people to hide drugs and cash in their bodies could face up to 10 years in prison under a change in the law. Ministers are seeking to create the new criminal offence to crack down on the action known as 'plugging' typically used by organised criminals to move goods from one place to another in county lines drug running. Children and vulnerable adults are forced to ingest or conceal the items in their bodies, which can cause significant harm and can be fatal if drug packages break open inside them, leading to an overdose. The move will be included as an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill currently going through Parliament. Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said: 'There is something truly evil about the gang leaders who degrade young girls, young boys and vulnerable adults in this way, forcing them to put their lives at risk. 'This new offence will go alongside other measures in our landmark Crime and Policing Bill to turn the tables on the gang leaders and hold them to account for exploiting children and vulnerable adults.' It comes as the Government committed to investing £42 million into a programme to tackle county lines gangs and support victims of the drugs trade. Since July 2024, more than 800 violent criminals involved in county lines have been charged through the programme's enforcement action and 1,200 drug lines have been closed, according to the Home Office. More than 2,100 safeguarding referrals for children and vulnerable people have also been made, it added. Jack O'Neill, of The Children's Society, said: 'Children forced to carry drugs in this way are subject to a form of abuse and exploitation that causes deep, long-lasting harm, and the law must reflect that. 'A clear legal definition of child criminal exploitation would help stop vulnerable children falling through the cracks and shift the focus onto the predators who profit from their abuse.'
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Gang leaders who force children to conceal drugs to face 10 years in jail
Gang leaders who coerce vulnerable individuals into concealing drugs and cash within their bodies could face up to a decade behind bars, thanks to a proposed change in the law. Ministers are seeking to establish a new criminal offence to combat the practice known as "plugging". This method is commonly employed by organised crime groups to transport illicit goods in county lines drug operations. Children and vulnerable adults are often forced to swallow or hide items inside their bodies, which can result in serious harm. There is also a risk of fatal overdose if drug packages rupture internally. The amendment will be incorporated into the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament. 'There is something truly evil about the gang leaders who degrade young girls, young boys and vulnerable adults in this way, forcing them to put their lives at risk,' Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said. 'This new offence will go alongside other measures in our landmark Crime and Policing Bill toturn the tables on the gang leaders and hold them to account for exploiting children and vulnerable adults.' It comes as the Government committed to investing £42 million into a programme to tackle county lines gangs and support victims of the drugs trade. Since July 2024, more than 800 violent criminals involved in county lines have been charged through the programme's enforcement action and 1,200 drug lines have been closed, according to the Home Office. More than 2,100 safeguarding referrals for children and vulnerable people have also been made, it added. 'Children forced to carry drugs in this way are subject to a form of abuse and exploitation that causes deep, long-lasting harm, and the law must reflect that,' Jack O'Neill, of The Children's Society, said. 'A clear legal definition of child criminal exploitation would help stop vulnerable children falling through the cracks and shift the focus onto the predators who profit from their abuse.'
The Sun
26-05-2025
- The Sun
Shameful secret of UK's most beautiful city as drug lords ship in runners young as 13 & stash Bond-style golden guns
HOARDS of tourists flock to pretty, historic York every day - but beneath the surface lies a dark underbelly of county lines criminality which sees kids as young as 13 deal drugs on street corners. The city - which regularly tops polls of the UK's most beautiful places to live - is famous for its quaint medieval streets, boutique shops and magnificent cathedral. 17 17 17 17 But locals tell us that behind the scenes youngsters are being exploited and forced to run drugs and cash to the area, which is rife with dealing and addiction. At York Station, a stone's throw from the National Railway Museum, home to some of the world's oldest steam engines, the gates are wide open, meaning you don't have to show a ticket to enter the city. This makes it all the easier for vulnerable youngsters - who are also being shipped in by gangs via taxis - to arrive in York unchecked. The northern city, located less than 30 miles from Leeds, attracts nine million visitors every year and is one of the UK's most popular tourist hotspots. But the issue of county lines is so severe North Yorkshire Police have launched a mammoth operation, named Project Titan, to tackle the criminality it's brought to the area. Detective Chief Inspector Shaun Page, Operation Titan's lead, told a local paper it was in response to a 'huge increase in violence related incidents' in the city since last September. Earlier this year they arrested 113 people in just four months as part of their investigation, during which both plain clothed and uniformed officers carry out surveillance in the worst hit parts of the city. The term 'county lines' refers to the trafficking of illegal substances into smaller areas via public transport, away from bigger destinations like Birmingham and Liverpool. But shockingly, it's commonly students and school children who are exploited to act as drug runners or move wads of cash. In York, locals direct us to the Clifton area on the outskirts of the city, where they say the problem is rife. The ketamine kids ravaging UK town as dealers hit PRIMARY schools & teen girls draw business plans to become drug lords One recent police bust certainly backed up their claims, with astonishing pictures showing hauls of vacuum packed drugs, wads of huge sums of cash, six mobile phones and a pistol-style BB gun seized from a property. A man in his 20s suspected of importing drugs has been arrested. Dealers on doorsteps In Clifton, one 64-year-old woman named Julie, who didn't want to give her surname, tells us county lines gangs are on her doorstep. She said: "Last year it was terrible for drugs, crime and knives. 17 17 17 17 17 17 "Police have been around here every single day to try and clean it up. "Only recently there were loads of police from Liverpool, so that just shows it's county lines. "It was Liverpool CID so they must have been thinking the drugs were being brought in from there. "They were walking the streets and knocking on doors. "It is the vulnerable people who are getting exploited. "York is a nice place but if you come out of the big centre on to the outskirts then the drugs are all over. "Clifton is starting to get tidied up but it's still a problem." Shabby-looking flats on terraced streets fill the area, whilst a knife drop-off box has been placed just metres away from busy shops. The amnesty box encourages people to safely discard of blades and weapons anonymously. We know county lines is an issue because young people are getting arrested and there are undercover coppers driving around the streets Jake Noble, 22, said: "I see drugs being dealt from outside my window every day. "It's just normal and you get used to it. It's definitely younger people doing it. "But I think people doing the deals get roped into it by people higher up. "There's a supply and chain where the drugs start at the top and works their way down. "It's about trying to find the ringleaders but it must be hard." Retired engineer Shirley Richardson, 74, added: "I see children as young as 13 on these streets with drugs. "It's horrible and not a surprise to anyone living around here. "I have no idea where they bring the drugs in from but people say its from outside of York. "It's a terrible issue. When I was younger nothing like this happened. "Kids smoke on the street on their push bikes as if it's normal." Drugs hub Among the tourist attractions in York is The Shambles, a narrow street of medieval buildings with overhanging floors which jut out over the cobbles below. Home to quaint cafes and boutique shops, its believed to have inspired Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter movies. 17 17 York Minster and the ancient city walls are also a major draw for visitors. The cathedral is one of the most magnificent in the world and dates back to the seventh century. And the Jorvik Viking Centre and National Railway Museum have been popular destinations for school trips from all over the north of England for decades. But away from its booming tourism industry which fetches almost two billion pounds per year, organised criminal groups are flooding the city with class A drugs. With multiple links to neighbouring locations like Leeds and Sheffield, York has become the big target for gangs to go about their business. Just this week, a 'professional' county lines drug dealer was jailed for more than four years for peddling heroin and crack cocaine in the city. Adam Reynard, 33, ran what police called the 'AJ Line', which was set up to flood the city's streets with Class A drugs, York Crown Court heard. A few miles away in Acomb to the west of York, pensioner Patricia Mercer says the drug problem is rife. The former council worker's oldest great-grandchild is 12-years-old and she worries about the exploitation happening to kids his age. The 77-year-old said: "Kids around here have nothing to do. There's not a thing here for them on the outskirts. "Because of that they get bored. Youngsters used to go out and meet their mates or go to youth clubs. 17 17 "We know county lines is an issue because young people are getting arrested and there are undercover coppers driving around the streets. "We know very well what they're looking for. "I think the drugs are coming from bigger places outside of York then get brought in." She added: "The young people get groomed to work for these people. "I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren and it's those who you worry about. "My eldest great-grandson is 12 and that's around the age you hear of these people targeting. "You do worry because sometimes it's the quieter ones who might get targeted by criminal groups." Nightclub dealers There is a combined student population of 50,000 in the city, home to York University, a member of the Russell Group, as well as York St John University. It is claimed that drug taking among students is part of the culture, as it is in other areas of the country. One student told us: "It didn't surprise me when I found out these arrests were made. "Drug taking is rife among students and you see dealing happening all the time outside on the street." Another student added: "You hear stories about what goes on, and you see drugs being dealt in nightclub toilets. 17 17 17 "The dealing definitely happens around here but often people don't even realise it's going on. "It doesn't surprise me these arrests were made but it might surprise others. "I don't take drugs myself but it happens in the university culture." Psychology student Elliot MacInnes, 21, said: "You hear about the county lines happening. "It might be surprising to other people outside of York that it happens. "It is a lot more insidious that people realise. "Often it goes under the radar with how young the kids are that are affected. "County lines is everywhere across the UK and especially in cities like York. "There is drug culture with young people at university but it seems to happen all over the country. "It definitely happens even outside of the city in smaller towns. "I have heard that young people are becoming targeted more and more." Criminal suburbs Two pals Harvey Hunter and Tyler Combs, both 20, say the city is divided by its plush centre and criminal suburbs. Harvey, a ground worker, said: "I think York is more blended so it becomes a target. "It's less on top of you and less busy than other places so maybe that's why it is happening. "It's close to Leeds and Bradford so there are links into the city. "The older people send younger ones to do jobs for them. "It can be a lot of money for a younger person so they accept." Tyler said: "York does have this problem but it's like most places in the country. "It's their choice if they want to get involved and say yes. Unfortunately it's in their hands but it definitely happens. "Everywhere you go people are selling this and dealing that. "York is a quality place to live. It does have its rough places and you do get people who get busted for county lines. "A lot of people come to York for tourism so maybe they feel they can get away with hiding it." York in stats It's no surprise that living up north tends to be cheaper than the south. However, due to York's popularity, it is slightly more expensive to live in than other northern cities. The average house price in York is currently £305,000, while average monthly rent is £1,122 as of 2025. For the UK as a whole, the average house price is £271,000. In 2023/2024, the Office for National Statistics revealed 79.4 per cent of York's population between the ages of 16 to 64 were in employment. This left 2.5 per cent of the population - or 2,900 people - unemployed. In the UK, about 4.4 per cent of the population over the age of 16 is unemployed, latest figures show. Danny Kilner lives in the Acomb area of York and helps get young people off the street and out of trouble. The 37-year-old store manager said: "It is a problem in York with youngsters. "Parents need to be a bit stricter but then again, how do you stop it? "I have a 12-year-old and I worry for lads his age. I help out at York Acorn Rugby Club and we try to get as many young people in there as possible. "It helps teach them discipline and gets them off the street. "It's really important to give them something to do and get them involved with something. "I help out and we have 20-odd kids from under 9 to under 15. "They could be the ones to get sucked in so you have to try and help." Project Titan's lead, DCI Shaun Page from North Yorkshire Police said: "113 arrests in four months is extremely positive, but there are still suspected drugs lines operating across York. "Using a significant number of investigative strategies the team has worked relentlessly to tackle drug use, drug related crime and criminal exploitation. "Our commitment continues, working in close partnership with other agencies, including the City of York Council, ensures a holistic, preventative approach, reducing harm to our communities. "However, I must stress the importance of having the public on our side. Please remain vigilant, if there is something that doesn't look quite right, it probably isn't."
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
Burton-on-Trent man jailed for using teenagers to transport drugs
A man who used teenagers to transport drugs on the rail network has been jailed for 10 years, following a county lines Illsley, 28, of Beresford Close, Burton-on-Trent, pleaded guilty on 10 March to two counts of modern day slavery and two counts of supplying Class A was sentenced to seven years and six months at Stafford Crown Court on was also sentenced to two years and six months for a separate count of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, which he must serve consecutively. British Transport Police said officers noticed two vulnerable 16-year-old boys at Blackpool station on 13 December found one in possession of 50 wraps of cocaine, 39 wraps of heroin, a burner phone and £300 in cash, and the other was carrying a boys told officers they were more than 130 miles from questioning revealed they were being exploited and controlled to deal drugs for Illsley who was behind the operation, police added the were returned home and Illsley was identified through phone messages and arrested."Illsley is a nasty individual, who, despite being a father himself, coerced and exploited children into travelling miles from home to sell drugs," Det Supt Craig Payne said."We take a zero tolerance stance against anyone who profits from the exploitation of children."Just like with Illsley, we will relentlessly pursue those who target the vulnerable and safeguard their victims." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
