Eighteen people have been arrested as part of a huge crackdown on county lines activity in Lincolnshire.
Around £10,000 in cash was seized, as well as roughly £33,000 worth of drugs, between Monday, 25 November, and Sunday, 1 December.
Weapons, including an air rifle and several knives, were also confiscated, in addition to various electronic devices.
County lines is the term used for drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.
The arrests and charges are the culmination of a joint effort involving strong collaboration with partners such as the MET and British Transport Police, to name just two.
The large-scale operation took place alongside other forces, who carried out similar work in their areas across England and Wales over the course of the week.
Detective Superintendent Amy Whiffen paid tribute to the hard work and commitment of those involved and said it sends a strong message to crime groups operating in Lincolnshire.
The force’s director of intelligence said: “It’s vitally important our response to this criminality is joined up across the whole system – the work carried out highlights the need to work collectively to share information, collaborate, and respond effectively to protect communities and bring offenders to justice.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who contributed and were involved in this recent activity, which demonstrates how, when working effectively together, we deliver the response the people of Lincolnshire deserve.”
Criminals exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute drugs.
This is often referred to as ‘drug running’.
Criminals may also use a vulnerable person’s home as their base of operations. This is known as ‘cuckooing’.
Police – Signs to Look Out For
There are several signs that may indicate someone is involved in county lines:
- Repeatedly going missing from school or home and being found in other areas
- Having money, new clothes, or electronic devices, and being unable to explain how they paid for them
- Receiving a high number of texts or phone calls and being secretive about who they are speaking to
- Declining performance in school or work
- Significant changes in emotional or physical well-being
Social Media
Criminal networks use social media to groom and recruit children for county lines. They may send direct messages (known as ‘DMs’) or share messages to wider groups as ‘stories’ or ‘posts’.
Ways OCGs Use Social Media
- Advertising drugs through photos, emojis, and price lists
- Posting statuses that show money, new drugs, or when a dealer is open for business
- Dealers sharing ‘stories’ to followers and using social platforms to expand their network with ‘suggested’ friends
- Tricking people with ‘fast cash’ scams, often referred to as ‘squares’. Victims may end up working for little or no money, which is known as ‘debt bondage’
- Advertising for ‘workers’ or ‘runners’ to recruit people into county lines activity
- Using hashtags linked to drugs
- Using emojis as codes for drugs, violence, and sexual activities, e.g., the snowflake emoji (for buying cocaine), 8-ball emoji (for buying an eighth of an ounce), or the rocket emoji (for drug purity)
Cuckooing
OCGs often use high levels of violence and intimidation to protect the ‘county line’ and maintain control. One of these forms of control exploits vulnerable people by using their home as a base for dealing drugs, a process known as cuckooing.
Dealers often convince the vulnerable person to let their home be used for drug dealing by giving them free drugs or offering to pay for food or utilities.
OCGs typically target people who are lonely, isolated, or have addiction issues. It’s common for OCGs to use a property for a short time, frequently moving addresses to reduce the chance of being caught.