Crimestoppers
Fearless - Our Youth Service
Raising awareness of ‘County Lines’ and the exploitation of vulnerable people
We're renewing our efforts in Sussex to highlight the dangers of County Lines drug operations.
Our week-long campaign encourages people to be aware of the pain and suffering that criminals from other areas inflict on Sussex communities and the damage that they cause, especially in coastal and rural towns.
County Lines is where criminals from major cities such as London expand their drug networks to other areas, bringing with it serious criminal behaviour such as violence, abuse and exploitation.
This is having an impact on rural communities and also on vulnerable children and adults, who are recruited from large cities elsewhere to work locally. They transport cash and drugs to Sussex whilst the criminals hide behind them, becoming more difficult to find.
They often set up a base for a short period of time and take over the home of someone vulnerable (known as ‘cuckooing’) and use adults and children to act as drug runners.
Law enforcement across the UK has made significant arrests of people involved in this type of activity and, whilst many vulnerable adults and children continue to be coerced into these activities, many have been safeguarded.
In October last year, Crimestoppers saw a 50% increase in information about County Lines in Sussex compared to the same time the year before.
January advan locations in Sussex:
County Lines is where criminals from major cities such as London expand their drug networks to other areas, bringing with it serious criminal behaviour such as violence, abuse and exploitation.
This is having an impact on rural communities and also on vulnerable children and adults, who are recruited from large cities elsewhere to work locally. They transport cash and drugs to Sussex whilst the criminals hide behind them, becoming more difficult to find.
They often set up a base for a short period of time and take over the home of someone vulnerable (known as ‘cuckooing’) and use adults and children to act as drug runners.
Law enforcement across the UK has made significant arrests of people involved in this type of activity and, whilst many vulnerable adults and children continue to be coerced into these activities, many have been safeguarded.
In October last year, Crimestoppers saw a 50% increase in information about County Lines in Sussex compared to the same time the year before.
“To protect our communities and the most vulnerable in our society, I’m urging anyone with information about County Lines or drug dealers exploiting others to contact our charity. We understand that for some people, speaking directly to the police is a step too far due to cultural reasons or fear of reprisals. That’s why Crimestoppers, as an independent charity, is here to help.
“We need to ensure that when gangs set up their drug operation here, that your information helps to get them removed. At Crimestoppers we guarantee you stay 100% anonymously. Always.
“Our UK Contact Centre is professionally staffed, open 24/7 and available on 0800 555 111, or you can use our anonymous online form. No one will ever know you contacted us.
Together we can help keep our communities safe.”
January advan locations in Sussex:
- Monday 21 – Hastings
- Tuesday 22 - Worthing
- Wednesday 23 – Bognor
- Thursday 24 – Eastbourne
- Friday 25 – Brighton
If you have any information about this or any other crime, please contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via our quick and easy anonymous online form here on our website.
