OFFICERS are cracking down on inner-city gangs who are using children in East Lancashire to sell drugs.

Lancashire Police have teamed up with the North-West Regional Agency Titan to launch the ‘county lines’ campaign.

Police said county lines is where criminal gangs from cities across the country use a dedicated mobile phone line to co-ordinate drug dealing with customers in towns many miles away. Gangs often use young or vulnerable people to work as drugs runners, transporting and storing drugs and cash, a police spokesman said.

The county lines campaign aims to raise awareness among the public to help victims to spot the signs and encourage them to report any concerns to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Barr, head of Titan, said: “This event will be an interactive and impactful way to highlight the issue of county lines to the people of Lancashire, and how to spot the possible signs that someone you know is at risk of being criminally exploited.

“The issue of county lines is becoming widespread across the region and further afield and by working alongside all communities, forces, and partners we want to educate parents, teachers, carers, and mental health professionals about how to identify some of the warning signs that vulnerable young people and adults are being used to deliver drugs and the ways you can report it to relevant agencies.”

Drugs runners are often young or vulnerable people who have been recruited using intimidation, deception, violence, debt bondage, or grooming. During the grooming process the victims are likely to commit criminal offences.

Young recruits are usually teenagers but can be as young as 10. Vulnerable adults include drugs users, alcoholics, or those with mental health problems or learning difficulties. They travel on their own on trains and risk their health by carrying drugs internally. Gang members often use intimidation, violence, and weapons to control their victims.

Temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Andrew Webster said: “County lines victims can be anyone in your community. Criminal gangs will exploit vulnerability in all of its forms to aid their activities. We can only combat this if members of the public understand what criminal exploitation is, how to spot the signs, and what to do if they think a person they know is being exploited.”