Keep Bedfordshire safe by preventing serious organised crime

Organised criminals are expanding their activities across Luton and other areas in Bedfordshire. Anonymous community information from residents and businesses is vital to stopping gangs in their tracks.

Criminal gangs are trying to operate in the area – establishing drug dealing networks, selling weapons, laundering money and other illegal enterprises. These activities exploit the vulnerable and harm our communities and legitimate businesses.
 
We’re asking residents and businesses to be alert to the activities of organised crime groups and help keep their communities safe.

Whilst we take information on a wide range of crimes, for this campaign we're focusing on the following crimes:

• Serious and organised crime gangs
• Dealing and selling of drugs - County Lines and cuckooing
• Money laundering
• Exploitation of vulnerable adults and children
• Benefit fraud
• Weapons crime

 

Speak up. Stay safe. Stop crime.

Multiple languages

If English isn't your first langauge, we take telephone calls in over 140 different languages.

Plus our online reporting form is available in six other languages. See the language option at the top of this page for these options.

County Lines and cuckooing

County Lines is a term used for organised illegal drug-dealing networks. Criminal gangs establish a base in a particular location, sometimes by ‘cuckooing’ - taking over the homes of local vulnerable adults by force or coercion. They then target other vulnerable local people and groom them to become involved in selling drugs.  

Child sexual exploitation

Child sexual exploitation is a form of child abuse where the victim is usually given something, whether food, money, drugs, alcohol or gifts, in exchange for sexual activity with the abuser.
 

Serious and organised crime gangs

Serious and organised crime, including human trafficking, modern slavery, car theft, fraud and violence can ruin many people's lives - and the profits from those crimes fund many other crimes.
   

Weapons crime

Crimes involving weapons have deep and long-lasting effects on victims, their families and their friends. Often the victims are innocent bystanders, caught up inadvertently in battles between rival gangs, or accidental witnesses to crimes.