Our vow to keep up the fight against ‘County Lines’

We have a campaign across Dyfed Powys to highlight the issue of ‘County Lines’ drug gangs. We are asking for your help to report any information about this criminal activity anonymously.

County Lines commonly involves drug dealers expanding their business by supplying drugs from urban to rural areas across the country using dedicated mobile phone lines. Vulnerable drug users and young people are targeted with the promise of gifts and cash, but instead are used and abused to support a network of organised crime. The gangs can move into new areas for a short time, taking over the home of a vulnerable adult and exploiting children to act as drug runners, using intimidation, violence and weapons.  

After a successful campaign last year, we are running a new series of digital adverts throughout Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Powys, aimed at giving you more information on this crime and how you can help by reporting to us  anonymously.

We encourage landlords, letting agents and those running hotel and guest accommodation, including Airbnb hosts, to be alert to County Lines gangs. Advice from the Home Office, working in conjunction with us, says signs to spot about potential tenants involved in County Lines may include:
 

• Offers to pay upfront in cash
• Appears affluent but wants to rent an inexpensive property
• Unable to provide landlord or employment references
• Prefers to pay rent in cash without good justification
• Prevents you from inspecting your property when given reasonable notice.

“Whilst Dyfed Powys is one of the safest places to live in the UK, we are not complacent about the broad and determined reach of organised crime across rural areas. Our relentless campaign activity against County Lines gangs is so important because as one organised crime group is identified, another will try and take its place.

“We’re helping to make Dyfed Powys a hostile place to County Lines and organised crime. Your information can help put a stop to the exploitation and damage these criminals inflict on our residents and communities.

“We are asking you to contact us anonymously and safely through our 0800 555 111 number, or via our secure online form - both methods are 100% anonymous. Always. Together we can stop the harm.”

If you have any information on those from cities who have recently travelled or moved into an area to set up a drugs network, those who are exploiting vulnerable children and adults and who may using violence or abuse to carry out their activities, Crimestoppers is here to take your information. You can contact us anonymously on 0800 555 111 or send us an untraceable online form.

More details about this campaign can be found here.