Children as young as 8 coerced into county lines drug dealing in Merseyside
87 arrests have been made during the latest national County Lines Intensification Week
Children as young as eight in Merseyside are being coerced into county lines drug dealing.
That shocking revelation has been made after the latest week of action to tackle county lines drug dealing in Merseyside and across the country.
Inspector Darren Wallace, Merseyside Police, said:
"We see often that young children, as young as nine or eight in this city of ours, are being recruited into gangs. They proceed through the ranks and then end up running the gangs.
"This puts them at risk of harm, serious violence - we've seen murders in the city as the result of county lines drug supply.
"It's our duty and our responsibility to prevent any people getting involved in county lines supply and do all we can to remove them out of these gangs."
The week of action resulted in:
- 87 arrests
- 15 drugs lines being shut down
- 14kg of drugs being seized (including crack cocaine, heroin, cocaine and cannabis), 1000 ecstasy tablets and 361 cannabis plants being seized and destroyed
- More than £112,000 in cash being seized
- 36 weapons being seized, including 12 axes and six knives
- 63 people being safeguarded after being identified as being at risk of exploitation
Warrants were executed, officers visited safeguarded people and worked with other forces including Jersey, North Wales, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
Project Medusa was set up in Merseyside in 2019.
Since then, officers have:
- Closed 1,101 county lines
- Arrested 2,421 people for various offences including drug supply, firearms offences and money laundering
- Identified 1,256 vulnerable adults and children who have been referred to safeguarding services
Inspector Stephen Morris said:
"Our involvement in this national week of action is just a snapshot of the work we do all year round. The results are testament to the effective joint working between forces and partners.
"The arrests and seizures made should act as a stark warning to county lines offenders – you will be caught and be put before the courts.
"We are passionate about the work we are doing in this area and are nationally recognised for the impact we have had on county lines both within Merseyside but also in other parts of the country. My message to those involved in county lines is clear – we have a zero-tolerance approach to serious organised crime, and we are relentless in our pursuit of those involved."
Operation Stonehaven has supported more than 20,000 young people since 2019 in the effort to try and divert them away from crime and the risk of being exploited by gangs.
Jimmy Belmar, lead for Operation Stonehaven at Merseyside Police, said:
"Intimidation, fear, coercion, and threats of violence are just some of the realities for a child, or vulnerable person, being exploited by criminals involved in county lines.
"A key priority of Operation Stonehaven is to identify and safeguard children being exploited in this way and connect them to partners and agencies who can offer support and help. We will not allow this exploitation to happen in our communities and we will continue to work hard to protect vulnerable adults and children and ensure Merseyside is a safe place.
"We thank the public who share information with us about drug dealing or any vulnerability they see, this intelligence is vital to protecting our communities. It’s important everyone who cares for or knows a young and/or vulnerable person can spot the warning signs. You can visit our website to learn more and tell us if something doesn’t feel right."
James Simmonds-Read, National Programme Manager at The Children's Society, said:
"Making sure that police forces and other experts can detect the signs of exploitation in young people is vital. These signals can be subtle so it's encouraging to see that more young victims can now get the help they urgently need. Our #LookCloser campaign, bolstered by the support of Merseyside Police is pivotal in raising awareness of these issues.
"As the nights draw darker, we urge members of the public and businesses to stay vigilant. Spotting signs of child exploitation, especially in settings such as fast-food joints, taxis and hotels is crucial. Any young person can be targeted, anywhere, but these places are often used to target, move, and abuse young people."