How Blackpool Police and youth workers are dealing with county lines criminals and ensuring the resort is 'uncomfortable' for drug gangs

Drug gangs from bigger cities expand their operations to smaller towns, often using violence to drive out other dealers and exploiting children or vulnerable people from the area to sell or transport illegal street drugs.

But an ongoing project to rid the resort of drugs crime and break down supply chains has proved so successful the Home Office is funding a new dedicated policing team to make Blackpool as unappealing as possible for county lines criminals.

Detective Superintendent Becky Smith said: "Our enforcement team will make it uncomfortable and make sure that those criminals from outside Blackpool don't see it as a safe haven. We want them to know that if they come here we're going to do everything we can to remove them from the town at the earliest opportunity.”

What is county lines?

County Lines is the police term for urban gangs supplying drugs to suburban areas, as well as market and coastal towns, using dedicated mobile phone lines.

Drug gangs from bigger cities expand their operations to smaller towns, often using violence to drive out other dealers and exploiting children or vulnerable people from the area to sell or transport illegal street drugs.

What makes Blackpool an easy target for county lines gangs?

Gangs find resort towns like Blackpool appealing because it’s common for outsiders to move here for a fresh start, so they attract less suspicion.

Brendan Bunting, a youth worker in the resort, said: “Our strength in Blackpool is probably one of our weaknesses. We're a transient town and we welcome everybody. Nobody bats an eyelid if you have a different accent. Unfortunately that’s also appealing for anyone looking to find vulnerable people to exploit.”

How do drugs gangs exploit young and vulnerable people?

Organised criminal gangs look to establish drug supply networks in rural areas, usually seeking out vulnerable people to carry, store, and sell the drugs and trapping them in a world of violence and exploitation.

In some cases the dealers will take over a local property, normally belonging to a vulnerable person, and use it to operate their criminal activity from. This is known as cuckooing.

At first drugs runners are 'encouraged' with things that they want or need such as money, gifts like designer clothes and trainers, status, perceived friendship, or protection in return for completing tasks.

But soon these gifts and 'benefits' turn into threats, debts, and intimidation tactics, which make it very difficult for new recruits to say no.

Who is likely to be targeted by county lines gangs?

Children as young as 9 and 10 are being targeted, as well as adults with vulnerabilities such as mental health issues. People from well-off homes are also just as likely to be targeted as those from poor areas.

Brendan Bunting, a youth worker with Lancashire County Council, said: “It’s not always about money. People can be vulnerable for a number of reasons, especially when they are in adolescence and struggling to find their place in the world. It might be a kid who is quite affluent and has all the latest gadgets but is feeling ignored at home. The [criminals] will step in where something slightly missing their lives.”

Brendan has helped many young people who have been targeted by these gangs, and says that often they are unaware that they are being groomed, and have no idea the people they are talking to are criminals.

Brendan added: “The young people often say they feel looked after and the [criminals] become like a family. Maybe the young person is struggling to talk to their parents, and these people might seem a bit edgy and cool, and like someone they can open up to.”

What are Blackpool Police doing to deal with county lines?

From January 2021 to September 2022, 103 arrests and 108 charges were made within the Blackpool area in relation to Project ADDER.

£300,000 worth of drugs and £58,000 of cash have been seized, along with nine vehicles, 135 mobile phones and 21 weapons.

103 multi-agency cuckooing interventions have been made through Operation Fosston, a multi-agency response to criminal gangs targeting vulnerable members of the community to facilitate exploitation.

The funding will run for the next two years and will allow police to have a dedicated resource working alongside Project ADDER, which focuses on working in partnership to address the root causes of drugs misuse and break down supply chains.

Blackpool Police are also working with other agencies to prevent vulnerable people from getting involved with serious organised crime.

DS Smith said: “as a result of our intelligence any vulnerable people will be identified and diverted working alongside our partners and get the relevant support they need, because you can't arrest your way out of county lines. It has to be a multi-agency approach.”

What can I do if I suspect someone is involved with county lines?

You should tell the police if you notice any suspicious activity or think a friend or family member may be involved with this type of crime.

You may notice an increase in visitors to a house/flat, or young people seen in different cars or taxis driven by unknown adults, who may seem unfamiliar with the area.

A person involved in county lines may start acting more secretive or withdrawn and may start going missing, maybe for long periods of time.

They may also start appearing with unexplained, sometimes un-affordable new things.You can report any information to the police by calling 101, reporting online via our website, calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or calling 999 in emergencies.