GMP launch new campaign to stop child criminal exploitation
'Eyes Open' aims to highlight the predatory nature of criminal gangs
Greater Manchester Police have launched a new campaign to highlight how young people are exploited to deal drugs by crime groups.
'Eyes Open' aims to educate young people, as well as their parents or carers, about the deceptive tactics that county lines gangs use.
County lines are the networks that these gangs use to distribute drugs from cities to smaller towns and rural areas.
They rely heavily on exploiting children and young people to transport and sell these drugs in different places.
Once the child is dependant on the gang, they are coerced into committing crime - often with threats, violence and manipulation.
The campaign has been co-created by Greater Manchester Police, Merseyside Police, Lancashire Police, and North Wales Police - alongside the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and Kent & Medway Violence Reduction Unit.
New research has found that while most parents are aware of the term 'county lines', only 39% made reference to children, vulnerable people or exploitation - most thought it was simply transporting drugs and drug dealing.
It's hoped the campaign will empower parents and young people to recognise the signs of exploitation and highlight how gangs groom children through a sense of belonging.
The gangs will often offer 'free' gifts like designer clothes and vapes, to then draw the young people in.
Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop, Head of Serious and Organised Crime, Programme Challenger, said:
"Programme Challenger – Greater Manchester’s partnership approach to tackling serious and organised crime – is supporting the Eyes Open campaign to help protect children and vulnerable people from criminal exploitation. Children may not always see themselves as victims of exploitation and it is our responsibility to raise awareness of the tactics used to coerce them into criminality.
"Protecting children and vulnerable people is our priority"
"Protecting children and vulnerable people is our priority and we will always seek to offer support. We continue to work hard to dismantle the county lines networks which exploit children and since January 2024, GMP has taken approximately 1890kg of illegal drugs off the streets of Greater Manchester.
"The force has also made 250 arrests and charged 140 people in connection with the supply of illegal drugs by serious organised crime gangs. Eyes Open also coincides with Greater Manchester’s first drugs strategy which ensures police and partners are working collaboratively to disrupt supply, pursue dealers, protect the vulnerable and improve people’s lives."
Since 2019, police forces have closed more than 5,600 county lines nationally and referred 8,800 people to safeguarding services.
Anyone who knows somebody who is being exploited can give information to Crimestoppers.