No disturbing, exploitative images of child victims here.

From Deadline News yesterday:

A NATIONAL charity is urging the public to report signs of county lines exploitation as criminal gangs continue to target and manipulate vulnerable children.

Crimestoppers has warned that young people are being coerced into transporting drugs, money, and weapons across the country, often facing violence, intimidation, and isolation far from their homes.

According to police estimates, up to 11,600 children are currently at risk of county lines exploitation. In the past year alone, more than 2,600 children were officially identified as linked to county lines activity, although the true figure is believed to be significantly higher.

and

Recent data obtained from Police Scotland revealed an almost 500% increase in child victims of county lines gangs over the last six years. In the last year, police recorded 104 victims under the age of 18 in Scotland, up from just 22 in 2020/21.

The charity is asking the public to remain vigilant for signs of exploitation, which can include unexplained gifts, new clothing or phones, increased secrecy, or frequent absences.

Angela Parker, Scotland National Manager at Crimestoppers, said: “County lines exploitation is often hidden in plain sight and can affect any family or community.

“Children are being manipulated and placed in dangerous situations, while those responsible remain in the background.

“We know people may feel unsure about coming forward, but you can tell us what you know whilst staying completely anonymously. No names, no statements, just information that could help protect a young person from harm.”

Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

Source: https://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2026/07/16/crimestoppers-issues-warning-over-county-lines-exploitation-gangs/?amp=1

Where are all of these County Lines gangs from?

County lines refers to a business model where organised crime groups (based in larger English cities) set up drug-dealing operations in smaller towns or rural areas. They use dedicated phone lines (“lines”) and exploit locals as runners or cuckoo (take over vulnerable people’s homes). In Scotland, police operations have targeted groups primarily from Liverpool, London, Birmingham/West Midlands, and similar English hubs—not Scottish cities. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyv72v883lo

Scottish police data and reports consistently show Scotland as mostly an importer of county lines activity, not an exporter. Gangs from major English urban centres send operatives north. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50090140

Scottish gangs tend to operate more locally or within Scotland (sometimes with international links), whereas county lines is an expansionist model from English city hubs exploiting “county” areas, including parts of Scotland. No credible reports link the county lines gangs referenced in Crimestoppers-style warnings to Scottish cultural roots. https://unherd.com/2025/05/the-old-school-horror-of-scotlands-gangs/

Evidence from police, charities, and research indicates the county lines model is generally more disruptive, exploitative, and damaging to Scottish towns and villages than traditional local (“Scottish”) gang models. https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/county-lines-exposed-10-drugs-gangs-operating-out-of-inverness-preying-on-the-most-vulnerable-366898/

Why County Lines Hits Towns/Villages Harder

County lines specifically targets “softer” rural/small-town markets with less entrenched local crime structures, leading to several amplified harms:

• Exploitation of the vulnerable — Heavy use of children (sharp rise in Scottish child victims, e.g., from 22 under-18s in 2020/21 to 104 recently) and vulnerable adults/women (including domestic abuse survivors or pregnant individuals). Runners face debt bondage, violence, threats, and trafficking-like conditions. Local models involve more peer-based or adult offending within established networks. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1kr4p7lwxro
• Cuckooing and community invasion — Homes are ruined, residents terrorised or displaced. This is highly invasive in tight-knit small towns where support networks are limited. Police describe ruined properties and victims held prisoner. Local gangs are more likely to operate within their own urban territories without this level of external takeover. https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/county-lines-exposed-10-drugs-gangs-operating-out-of-inverness-preying-on-the-most-vulnerable-366898/
• Sudden violence and drugs — Introduces crack/heroin (with deadly adulterants like nitazenes), spikes in overdoses, weapon use, and transient “footsoldiers” with histories of serious violence. Villages/towns see rapid escalations (e.g., violence in Inverness attributed to these networks). Traditional Scottish gangs have violence too, but it’s often more predictable/territorial in cities. https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13812273/crime-gangs-flooding-city-with-footsoldiers/
• Hidden and hard-to-police nature — Mobile operators evade detection by rotating addresses and relying on fear. Rural areas lack the resources or familiarity of big-city policing. This creates a “whack-a-mole” effect, with gangs quickly replacing arrested members. https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13812273/crime-gangs-flooding-city-with-footsoldiers/