County Lines Child Exploitation Exposed: The Dark Reality Behind Gangs and Grooming

By Kulturalism Team. 18 minute read

Content Note – Please Read First

This is a detailed and long blog post examining the rise of county lines in the UK. It includes information on how gangs recruit and exploit children.

Key Takeaways

Child trafficking and grooming
Vulnerable groups such as children in care, migrants, or those with special needs
Real-world tactics used to control and harm boys and girls
How county lines operate across regions, and what warning signs to look for

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COUNTY LINES is a term for a form of criminal exploitation where gangs use children and young people to transport and sell drugs from urban centre's to smaller towns and rural areas. In this model, dedicated mobile phone “deal lines” are used by gang leaders to take orders and dispatch young runners, keeping the adults removed from the actual drug dealing. The children do the bulk of the work and face the highest risks, making this a form of modern child trafficking and abuse.

In recent years, police and charities have warned of a surge in county lines activity involving youths. Thousands of children – some as young as 12 – are estimated to be groomed as drug runners across the UK. As of around 2023, authorities identified over 1,500 drug distribution routes (“lines”), a number which had roughly doubled within a year. By 2024, a government report estimated around 27,000 young people were involved in county lines drug trading nationally This criminal trade is lucrative (worth hundreds of millions of pounds) and has expanded despite law enforcement crackdowns. Gangs find it easy to replace arrested adults with new recruits from vulnerable youth populations. According to a former gang leader, “It’s all too easy” for criminals to groom kids – the promise of quick cash, a flashy gang lifestyle, and lack of better opportunities leaves many youths prey to exploitation. Police across the country have reported increased violence toward these child recruits as gangs compete for territory, making the situation even more dangerous.

How Gangs Entice Children – Grooming and Gang Culture

County lines gangs are highly organised and adept at grooming children into criminal activity. They often target children who are impressionable or seeking belonging, then lure them with gifts, attention, and the idea of status. As one reformed gang member explained, many kids “want to be gangsters” – so an older gang member will shower them with attention, give them a nickname, tell them school is pointless, and brag about the money to be made. Early on, the recruit might receive “payment” in the form of new sneakers, a smartphone, or cash as symbols of the “good life” promised by gang culture. In reality, these tokens are bait with strings attached. Official guidance also notes that exploiters commonly offer money, clothes, drugs, protection, friendship, or a sense of belonging in exchange for a child carrying drugs. Once trust is gained, the gang will manipulate the child into deeper involvement – at which point coercion and threats often replace the friendly facade.

SOCIAL MEDIA & MUSIC can play a role in glamorizing gang culture to children. County lines recruiters have been known to flaunt a wealthy, dangerous lifestyle on Instagram or drill music videos, which can attract teenagers looking for excitement or identity. The gangs capitalize on this by positioning themselves as a “family” for the child – making them feel important and grown-up. In many cases, the child does not initially realize they are being exploited; they may genuinely believe the gang members “are my friends” or that running errands for them is a path to respect and money. This grooming process is highly calculated and tailored to the child’s specific needs and insecurities.

Once a child is hooked, gangs escalate control. They might incur a fake “debt” on the child (for example, giving them drugs or money and later claiming it was stolen or missing) to entrap them in “debt bondage”. They also isolate the child from family or school, foster secrecy, and use violence or blackmail to ensure obedience. A youth who tries to back out may be told that the gang will hurt their younger siblings or parents – a terrifying threat that often keeps victims compliant. In short, the gang’s method shifts from enticement (gifts, friendship) to enforcement (violence, intimidation) as the child becomes entrenched in the criminal network.

Common Vulnerabilities – Which Children Are at Risk?

While any child or teen can be groomed, county lines perpetrators deliberately seek out those with certain vulnerabilities. Children who lack stability or support are especially at risk. Key factors that make youth vulnerable to gang enticement include:

Poverty and Economic Hardship: Kids from impoverished backgrounds or struggling families may see the gang’s offers of cash or goods as a “lifeline.” When a child lacks basic needs or opportunities, the promise of making money – or getting expensive shoes and gadgets – is extremely enticing. Gangs know this and exploit financial desperation, knowing these offers “may be more readily accepted out of necessity.”
Family Breakdown, Abuse, or Neglect: A history of physical or sexual abuse, neglect, or an unstable home (e.g. domestic violence or parental substance misuse) leaves children emotionally vulnerable. Trauma and lack of a safe home can drive a child to seek acceptance elsewhere. Gang recruiters will often fill the void – acting like a protector or older sibling figure – to kids who crave stability or care. These children may not have adults they trust looking out for them, making them easy targets.
Social Isolation and Exclusion: Young people who feel like “outsiders” – whether due to bullying, few friends, or being excluded from school – are at high risk. A lack of a support network or belonging can push a child to latch onto the first group that accepts them. Gangs offer that sense of belonging or “family” that the child is missing. Children in pupil referral units or those who have been expelled from mainstream school are frequently targeted, as they often have unsupervised time and feel alienated, which “can offer opportunities for exploitation.”
Being in Care or Homeless: Young people in the foster care system or living in residential care homes are disproportionately victimised. Gangs know these children often feel they don’t belong or lack consistent family support. Those “in or leaving care” – especially if placed far from their home area – have less of a safety net and are often lonely and searching for connection, making them susceptible. There have been cases of gang members staking out outside care homes or shelters to befriend kids. Similarly, homeless teens or runaways are preyed upon with offers of “friendship” and a place to stay.
Disability or Special Needs: Children with learning disabilities, autism, or other neurodivergent conditions are also exploited. They may be less able to recognise manipulation or defend themselves, and criminals take advantage of this. A child who struggles socially or has developmental delays might not understand the risks or may be eager to please new “friends,” making them an easier victim. Gangs have been known to target children with mild intellectual disabilities to carry drugs because they might follow orders without question.
Mental Health Issues: Depression, low self-esteem, or other mental health struggles can make youths vulnerable. A teen dealing with trauma or emotional turmoil might be drawn to drugs or alcohol provided by gangs, or might find the risk-taking lifestyle appealing as an escape. Exploiters deliberately prey on those with poor emotional well-being, knowing they can manipulate their need for validation.
Unaccompanied Refugee or Migrant Children: In recent years, children arriving in the UK alone – such as asylum seekers – have become targets for county lines traffickers. These children often face cultural isolation, language barriers, and uncertain immigration status, which increase their exposure to exploitation. Tragically, there have been numerous cases of unaccompanied minors being picked up by drug gangs shortly after arriving. For example, criminal networks have been seen loitering outside government-run shelters for asylum-seeking children. A security whistle-blower from one such shelter in Brighton reported that “Most of the children disappear into county lines” – meaning they are kidnapped or enticed by drug gangs and vanish into the criminal underworld. In one instance, dozens of teenage asylum seekers were abducted from a single hotel, with some later found dealing drugs hundreds of miles away. Gangs even use fear of deportation as a tactic, telling migrant kids that if they stay put, the authorities will “send you to Rwanda,” so the child feels they have no choice but to go with the gang. This shows how ruthlessly opportunistic traffickers are – they will exploit any vulnerability, from poverty to immigration status, to recruit children.

It’s important to note that these risk factors don’t cause a child’s exploitation – the responsibility lies entirely with the perpetrators. However, these factors create the imbalance of power that gangs can abuse. Some victims don’t fit the typical profile at all (gangs sometimes go after children with “clean skins,” i.e. no prior police or social services history, because they draw less attention. In general though, children who are marginalized, desperate, or unsupported are the prime targets for county lines grooming.

Trafficking Children Across Borders and Within the UK

County lines operations often involve moving children from one area to another – essentially child trafficking for criminal purposes. In many cases this is domestic trafficking: a child from a big city is sent to a rural or coastal area to sell drugs, or a youth from one town is shuttled to another where they have no connections. For example, a landmark case in 2018 exposed how a Birmingham gang leader, Zakaria Mohammed, transported three children (two 15-year-old boys and a 14-year-old girl) to a town 130 miles away (Lincoln) to run his drug line. He or his associates would drive or take the train with the kids to the remote location, set them up in a decrepit flat, and then operate the “deal line” by phone from afar – instructing the children when and where to deliver heroin and crack cocaine to local addicts. Mohammed was ultimately convicted under the Modern Slavery Act for trafficking those minors, in what prosecutors called a wake-up call that using children in county lines is child slavery.

Tragically, international trafficking is also feeding county lines. Some gangs actively bring children from abroad (or recruit them during the journey) to exploit in the drug trade once in the UK. As noted, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are at high risk – more than 400 such children have gone missing from government care in a recent period, with many believed to have been kidnapped by organised crime gangs. Observers have seen Albanian and Eritrean gang members in luxury cars outside children’s hotels, literally picking kids off the street soon after they arrive in Britain. Those children quickly “vanish” into forced drug dealing. In other instances, minors from countries like Vietnam, China, or Eastern Europe are smuggled into the UK with promises of safety or work, only to be held by drug gangs (or forced to work in cannabis farms, which is another form of criminal exploitation closely related to county lines).

Within the UK, traffickers take children far from home to make it harder for them to get help or escape. A child from London might find themself in a trap house in Devon; a boy from Liverpool might be sent to a quiet coastal village in Cornwall. Being in unfamiliar territory, the child is completely dependent on the gang for shelter and instructions, and they’re less likely to be recognised by people (so their “missing” status can go undetected). Gangs also move kids around to different locations frequently to evade police – a practice sometimes called “going on tour.”

It’s worth emphasising that these young people are victims of trafficking, not “willing drug mules.” Even if a child initially agreed to travel for the gang, the law recognises that any child used in this way is being exploited. The movement of youths to commit crimes meets the definition of human trafficking (for “child criminal exploitation”), which is why cases like Zakaria Mohammed’s led to severe sentences. However, many trafficked children sadly do end up arrested for drug offences if they are caught in a raid, since it can be challenging for police to identify them as victims. There is growing awareness and training to spot the signs that a youth found with drugs is likely not a culprit but rather has been coerced or forced by adults.

Teenagers at risk — symbolic of child exploitation by gangs in UK communities, including county lines grooming

Inside a County Lines Operation: Drugs, Weapons, and Daily Exploitation

What does life look like for a child caught up in county lines? In a typical scenario, once a young person is under a gang’s control, they will be sent “out in the country” to deal drugs in gang slang, the child is “running a line, going cunch.” Often the gang will commandeer a local property in the destination area as a base of operations – frequently the home of a vulnerable adult which the gang “cuckoos” or takes over by force. This “trap house” becomes the place where the child stays and where drugs are stored or packaged. The trap house environment is usually squalid and dangerous. In the Mohammed case, police found the children living in a “filthy, cold” one-bedroom flat with two heroin addicts, the floors littered with used syringes. The kids were exhausted, hungry, and dirty, a far cry from the glamorous life they were promised. “They were not wearing new trainers or designer clothes…they didn’t have new phones or gadgets,” the lead investigator noted – instead “they were having their childhood stolen” by gangsters who saw them as nothing more than “expendable workhorses. This stark reality is echoed in many other cases: the gang makes huge profits (Mohammed was earning about £500 a day from the operation) while the children receive little to nothing.

Drug distribution: The primary task for these children is to sell drugs (usually Class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine) to local users or street dealers. The gang supplies the product and maintains the customer contacts through the deal phone. The child is instructed via text or call where to meet a buyer – sometimes literally going door to door in unfamiliar neighbourhood's, other times rendezvousing in parking lots or public spaces. Gangs often keep the kids working long hours: one report observed teenagers making hand-to-hand drug sales every 10 minutes at peak times. The child may also have to stash drugs and cash in hiding spots or on their person to avoid detection. It is common for gangs to give the young dealer a “burner” phone (an unregistered, prepaid mobile) for communications, and maybe a small supply of drugs to carry at any one time. They are instructed to be extremely mobile – using buses, Ubers, or bicycles to get around quickly and not staying in one place long.

Weapons and violence: County lines gangs are often involved in serious violence, and unfortunately they expose children to this as both victims and participants. Young runners might be made to carry knives or other weapons for self-protection, to enforce territory, or simply because the gang wants them armed. Police have found things like machetes, hunting knives, even firearms in raid locations associated with county lines. The children themselves can become targets of violence – either from rival gangs (who may attack them for encroaching on “turf”) or from their own gang if they are perceived to disobey orders. Gangs use physical punishment to instil fear: a child who “messes up” (e.g. loses a stash or is suspected of disloyalty) might be beaten, burned with cigarettes, or stabbed as a warning. One official report noted that many exploited youths have unexplained cuts, burns, or scars – often minor injuries deliberately inflicted as ongoing intimidation – and in some instances, far more serious injuries like life-threatening stab wounds. There is also a constant implicit threat: if you try to run, we’ll hurt you or your family. This was evident in the case of a 15-year-old boy who was rescued by police at a train station – he disclosed that the gang had threatened his family, making him feel completely “trapped” into continuing the illicit work. Such threats are a cornerstone of controlling child victims.

Brutal working conditions: The day-to-day conditions for children in county lines are highly abusive. They often go missing from school and home for days or weeks at a time, because they’ve been sent far away. In the trap houses, they might sleep on a dirty mattress (or not at all, if users are coming in and out 24/7). Basic needs like food and hygiene are neglected – gangs don’t care if children eats or bathes, as long as they’re selling drugs. The children tend to become hyper-vigilant and stressed. They often carry multiple phones (one for the gang, perhaps one personal) that ring incessantly, and they must answer at any hour. Many start using drugs or alcohol themselves as a coping mechanism (sometimes even as “payment” from the gang). Sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and constant fear take a heavy toll on their mental and physical health.

To avoid police detection, gangs also force children into extreme measures. Some children are instructed to conceal drugs inside their bodies when traveling – a practice known as “plugging” or internal concealment. This involves inserting packages of drugs (often wrapped in condoms) into the rectum or vagina, or swallowing drug parcels, so that if the child is stopped by police the contraband isn’t immediately found. This is obviously very dangerous – there have been cases of children seriously injured or even killed due to internal drug leaks or blockages. A Home Office report described one teenager who required surgery because a large ball of drugs had been forced inside him, causing internal tearing. The boy was found in pain, carrying a jar of Vaseline, and later revealed how he was “exploited and intimidated to deal drugs” and felt he had no choice because of threats. This level of cruelty – treating children as disposable drug containers – highlights how county lines is truly a form of modern slavery.

Sexual exploitation can also occur alongside the drug running. Girls are sometimes recruited to play the role of a “girlfriend” to gang members or to launder money, and they may be raped or pimped out in addition to being made to sell drugs. Boys too have reported sexual abuse in some cases. The bottom line is that these gangs will exploit every aspect of a young person – their labour, their bodies, their identities – to maximise profit and control. The child is left with no autonomy or safety; every moment of their day is dictated by the gang’s demands.

Geographic Spread – Where Is This Happening?

County lines operations are widespread across the UK. Initially, the pattern involved big city gangs (from London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, etc.) expanding their drug markets into smaller towns and rural counties. Those core cities remain major hubs – for instance, about 15% of all identified county lines stem from London, with other hotspots including the West Midlands (9%) and Merseyside (7%) regions. However, virtually any region can be affected. Gangs have been documented trafficking drugs to coastal holiday towns, quaint villages, and remote rural areas that previously had little gang presence.

These areas provide lucrative new markets (often for heroin and crack cocaine) with less competition, and local police forces that may be less experienced with gang crime.

Some specific areas that have seen high county lines activity include coastal Sussex and Kent (due to proximity to London and ports), East Anglia and Essex, South Wales, the South West counties, and smaller cities like Oxford, Swindon, Blackpool, etc. Oftentimes the gang will name the “line” after its destination – for example, a Liverpool gang dealing into Devon might call it the “Devon line.” But there are also cases where county lines don’t cross county borders at all – sometimes the term is used for any organised drug network that uses a phone line and exploits youth, even if it stays within one city or county.

One notable trend is that areas with high drug demand but less gang presence (like quiet towns with many addicted persons but no local supply) became targets. During the 2010s, as law enforcement in big cities cracked down, gangs realised sending children out to these “soft” markets was an easy way to sell product without attracting as much heat. This led to the explosion of county lines nationwide. Police cuts and the closure of youth clubs and social services in many communities have been cited as factors that allowed county lines to proliferate, by giving gangs more vulnerable kids and less chance of early intervention.

Today, no area is truly immune. What’s consistent is the method: a phone line, a network of young couriers, and often the exploitation of local vulnerable people (through cuckooing) to facilitate the business. Wherever a line goes, it tends to bring associated crime like violence, weapons, and a wave of children going missing. Local authorities in areas as far apart as Cumbria, Norfolk, and Dyfed-Powys have all reported spikes in missing adolescents that were later linked to county lines activity. Community members might notice unusual newcomers, perhaps a teenager from out-of-town hanging around, or increased reports of anti-social behaviour and drug litter (needles, baggies) – all potential signs that a county line is active in the area.

The Harsh Reality and Impact on Victims

For the children involved, county lines exploitation is devastating. Physically, they suffer abuse, injury, malnutrition, and the risk of long-term health problems (from violence, drug use, or stress). Psychologically, these young victims often develop trauma disorders, anxiety, depression, or PTSD from the chronic abuse and violence they experience. They live in constant fear – fear of the gang’s retribution, fear of rival attackers, and fear of being arrested. One can only imagine the toll of being 14 years old and being told that if you make a mistake, your family might be killed, or being forced to swallow drug packets and take such risks with your body. By robbing them of their childhood, education, and safety, gangs leave lasting scars on these youth. Many need extensive therapy and support to recover, and some may never fully do so.

Moreover, involvement in county lines can lead to criminal records for the children if they are not identified as victims in time. Although the UK has made progress in treating under-18s involved in county lines as victims of trafficking (with mechanisms like the National Referral Mechanism for modern slavery), not every case is recognised. Some teenagers have been prosecuted for drug offences that they were forced to commit. This criminalization adds another layer of harm, making it harder for them to reintegrate or find legitimate opportunities later. There is an ongoing challenge to shift perspectives so that police, teachers, and social workers see the signs of exploitation – such as a child with unexplained expensive items, or frequent absences and travel – and intervene with protection rather than punishment.

The community impact is also significant. County lines bring violent crime to quiet areas and exploit vulnerable adults as well (e.g., those whose homes are taken over for trap houses, or addicts who may get drawn into dealing). It creates a cycle of fear and degradation in these communities. But unquestionably the greatest tragedy is the human cost to the children: they lose crucial years of development and face dangers well beyond their age. Some have even lost their lives – caught in turf war stabbings or overdosing on drugs they were forced to carry. County lines can lead to serious physical and emotional harm, even homicide in the worst cases.

A Survivor’s Perspective

To understand the reality, consider the words of a young man who was groomed at 13 and exploited by a county lines gang for years before escaping. He described how he was “just a kid who wanted to belong,” coming from a broken home. The gang gave him a sense of importance at first – “they were my everything,” he said – but this quickly turned into a nightmare of beatings, drug runs, and constant fear. He recalls carrying knives and large quantities of drugs on trains, being arrested multiple times, and even being shot at by a rival group. “I thought I was a gangster,” he admits, “but really I was a slave.” It was only after a stabbing nearly killed him that he received help from a support worker and realised he had been a victim. This story, and many others like it, highlight how easily a child can be drawn in, and how hard it is to break free.

Conclusion: Confronting the County Lines Crisis

The rise of county lines is a complex social problem driven by organised crime but rooted in child vulnerabilities. Poverty, abuse, and social services failures feed a pool of youth that gangs readily exploit. These criminal networks operate in the shadows – on our trains, in rented houses on quiet streets, and over innocuous-looking mobile phones – causing untold harm to children and communities. Tackling this issue requires raising awareness of the grooming techniques and signs of exploitation, so that teachers, parents, and peers can recognize when a child is at risk. It also demands a coordinated response: policing to target the gang leaders and shut down deal lines, alongside robust child protection and support for the victims.

Importantly, society is coming to understand that these children are victims, not criminals. Terms like “child criminal exploitation” and laws against modern slavery are being used to ensure youngsters coerced into county lines are safeguarded rather than simply prosecuted. Numerous charities and agencies (like the NSPCC, The Children’s Society, and local youth services) are working to provide education, early intervention, and exit support for at-risk youth. Still, the battle is uphill. As long as there is demand for drugs and as long as children remain in desperate situations, county lines gangs will seek to recruit them.

The solution lies in reducing those vulnerabilities – addressing child poverty, supporting troubled families, keeping children in school, providing positive role models and activities, and ensuring every child has someone looking out for them. Enforcement alone cannot end this; it must go hand in hand with safeguarding and social support.

The stories emerging from the county lines crisis are heart-breaking, but by shining a light on this exploitation we can galvanize action. Each missing child poster, each news report of a raid rescuing 14-year-olds from a drug den, reminds us that these are children who deserve a childhood – not a life of crime and fear. Stemming the rise of county lines will require sustained commitment, but it is a fight we cannot afford to lose. Every saved child, given the chance to break free and build a real future, is a powerful blow against this cruel trade.

This blog draws on a combination of Kulturalism’s community engagement work in high-risk areas and publicly available research into county lines, grooming, and exploitation. While some insight comes from real conversations and lived observation, other details are informed by national data, youth safeguarding research, and investigative reports. We do not claim access to migrant-specific intelligence, but aim to raise awareness of the wider systems that exploit vulnerable young people in the UK today.

KULTURALISM