Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner set to educate young people on county lines
The move comes after a national crackdown on county lines drug gangs has led to more than 1,000 arrests
Last updated 28th May 2021
Detectives at Humberside Police have been issuing warrants as part of a national week of action to tackle county lines.
The force will be issuing figures from their latest operation Galaxy raids next week.
It comes as a national crackdown on county lines drug gangs has led to more than 1,000 arrests in what has been described as a "relentless" pursuit to prevent criminal activity.
Jonathan Evison, Humberside Police Crime Commissioner, said:
“These people are farming our communities by selling drugs and because young children are of an age where they can be prosecuted early, that means they are carriers for these people because it takes the risks away from these criminal gangs."
The Police and Crime Commissioner is now focusing on educating youths about the danger of grooming and county lines.
Jonathan said:
"We want to move into schools and it's not just county lines, it's drug use as well. I'm convinced that most parents don't know how drug dealers operate and how they steel our children from us. We've got to explain it to people - it's not a choice. How can a thirteen/ fourteen year old make that sort of life choice, they can't."
Christina Gabbitas is an author working alongside the NSPCC – she has been visiting schools in Hull and Grimsby to engage with children on how they feel about county lines.
She said:
“The children have been very engaged with the story that I wrote which is about a group of friends that are groomed into county lines and deliver drug packages to various areas with their own dedicated phone lines using public transport."
As part of her school visits, she gathered research for her storyline on the beatz bus’s latest video campaign.
The video was launched on Tuesday night and aims to raise awareness to youths about drug related crime and grooming.
Steve "Redeye" Arnott, Beats Bus Founder said:
“For too long gangs have been exploiting our vulnerable youth. We must unite and stop this vermin that is ruining our towns and cities.”
Fellow founding member Dave "DJ Redlocz" Okwesia agrees “Our next generation is the future, we need to protect and serve them.”
Christina said:
“It's been really encouraging to see something I have written has made a difference to educate children because I think prevention is always better than trying to pick up the pieces afterwards."