Parents targeted in county lines campaign

Officers will be delivering leaflets to homes in parts of Staffordshire advising parents on how to spot the signs of a child being criminally exploited.

It comes as part of a Staffordshire Police operation to disrupt county lines gangs who deliberately target children – some as young as 12 – who are often groomed, deceived or threatened into carrying and selling drugs for them.

Force chiefs want to arrest members of organised crime gangs but also identify young people who are at risk of being drawn into a life of crime.

It comes after eight men aged between 22 and 46 were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs and conspiracy to commit modern slavery in Stoke-on-Trent.

The campaign will also use outdoor and online advertising to encourage young people to understand whether they are a victim of exploitation. Officers will also be going into schools, colleges and care homes as part of an education awareness programme.

The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Dave Thompson, told the Express & Star last week, that county lines gangs were one of the issues he was most concerned about.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Taylor, of Staffordshire Police, said: “As well as working with partners to let parents and educators know what to spot, we aim to target the gangs who exploit children and vulnerable adults as part of these drug networks.

"These gangs don't care about the human cost of their dealing, they also don't care about the impact in the wider community with the associated increased violence, anti-social behaviour and other drug-related offences in local neighbourhoods which does affect innocent people.

“We are dedicated to listening to the concerns of our local communities and acting on any information that comes to us. I would like to urge anyone with any information about drug-related issues in their local communities to report the matter to the police.”