'County Lines' is the term used when drug dealers extend their operations to smaller towns, often using violence to drive out local dealers and exploiting children and vulnerable people to sell drugs.
These dealers will use dedicated mobile phone lines, known as 'drug lines', to take orders from drug users.
Heroine, cocaine and crack-cocaine are the most common drugs being supplied and ordered. In most instances, the drug users will live in a different area to the dealers are based, so drug runners are needed to transport the drugs and collect the money.
This is a national safeguarding problem. Due to our close proximity to Bradford and Leeds, it has been a continuos issue in Skipton.
Further guidance can be found on the NSPCC website: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-abuse-and-neglect/county-lines
If you have any concerns, regarding any child in the local area, please do not hesitate to contact school to discuss it further.