Campaign aims to tackle ‘scourge’ of county lines in Cambridgeshire
A campaign around county lines has been launched to help prevent the criminal exploitation of young and vulnerable people in the county.
Cambs Against County Lines, which was launched on Friday (July 30), follows a survey produced by Cambridge Community Safety Partnership on drugs violence and gangs in the city last year.
The campaign aims to raise awareness among young people and adults in Cambridge of the risks around county lines drug dealing, and to help people to recognise the signs of the related grooming process.
It has been launched by the community safety partnership and is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (PCC).
PCC Darryl Preston said: “As previously both a police officer and someone who sat on the national county lines working group, I have seen the damage these criminal and organised gangs can cause.
“This is not a scourge which just impacts our cities – county lines also operate in towns and villages.
“While our police force continues to work hard to apprehend the criminals involved in this, I urge everyone to find out more about how to recognise the signs that a young person may have been targeted.
“Early intervention and prevention is key to helping prevent young and vulnerable people from being groomed into this activity.”
The grant for the work was awarded in late 2019.
A ‘county line’ is a term used to describe an organised criminal network using dedicated mobile phone numbers to move illegal drugs into an area.
The gangs are likely to exploit children and young people and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money. They will often use coercion, intimidation, violence and weapons.
The partnership also used the feedback from the survey to produce a 10-minute video by AlterEgo Creative Solutions to help raise awareness of county lines in local schools.
It is aimed at Key Stage 3 pupils, and is intended to be followed by a workshop to expand on the themes introduced in the video.
Spot the signs, cut county lines
If somebody you know shows any of these signs, they might be involved in county lines activity.
- They often go missing from home or school
- They travel alone to places far away from home
- They suddenly have lots of money, new clothes or mobile phones
- They receive more phone calls or messages than usual
- They carry or sell drugs
- They carry weapons or know people that have access to weapons
- They spend time with somebody who is older and controlling
- They have unexplained injuries
- They seem scared or reserved, or like they have something to hide
- They are self-harming
Further information can be provided by emailing countylines@cambridge.gov.uk. Visit the Cambs Against County Lines website for more support.
Read more:
Shire horses mow King’s College meadow
Green bin collections delayed in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire
Gas supply to Cambridge flats to be capped after warning over potential impact of explosion
