County lines is the growing practice of gangs to exploit vulnerable children and adults at risk of abuse (including those with mental illness or learning disabilities) in order to facilitate the running of street level drug dealing and to spread their networks out across the country from London and other large conurbations.

The attached report from the National Crime Agency’s (NCA) second assessment of county lines contains more information:

http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/753-county-lines-gang-violence-exploitation-and-drug-supply-2016/file