The BTP County Lines taskforce is pivotal in intercepting this exploitation and making safeguarding interventions to protect vulnerable people from the ruthless gangs.

BTP’s bespoke child exploitation team works with a broad range of partners who, collectively, adopt a prevention focused, child centred approach to identifying and immediately safeguarding those at risk.

Station staff, passengers and commuters were also encouraged to #LookCloser as part of the operations to spot the signs of child exploitation and to report any concerns or incidents they witness.

Plain clothes officers, drugs dogs and knife arches are just some of the tactics that the taskforce employ every day to proactively disrupt criminality on the railway network.

As well as arresting those who prey upon the vulnerable, seizing drugs, weapons and phones, specialist officers also gather intelligence into the organised crime groups responsible and target them, removing their ability to cause harm.

Det. Supt Craig Payne from BTP’s County Lines Taskforce said: “Robust operations like todays take place across the rail network every day. Sometimes you’ll spot us, sometimes you won’t.

“Through the deployment of targeted specialist resources, we will find those who exploit the vulnerable, arrest them and destroy their criminal enterprise.

“Our mission remains to identify and safeguard those who are being exploited and relentlessly pursue those who have targeted them.

“Anyone exploited by these gangs will be safeguarded and supported”.

“We will not waver in our determination to stop the exploitation and associated harm caused by county lines gangs, making our communities and railways safer.

“We urge anyone using the rail network to report any concerns to us through our discreet text number 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 and to be aware that victims of exploitation may not always be obvious nor aware they are indeed victims.”

Don’t take the bait

The Don’t take the bait campaign raises awareness of the tactics county lines gangs use to exploit children.

‘County lines’ is a term used to describe when drugs are sent from big cities into smaller towns. Often, children or teenagers are used to transport the drugs.

People involved with county lines may use social media to try to recruit others into transporting drugs. They may offer gifts or money in exchange for carrying packages on the train for them.

They may act like friends or like what they are asking you to do is no big deal – but it’s a trap.

The person carrying the drugs is in a risky situation and will receive very little money compared to the rest of the gang. They’re often trapped or scammed into continuing to work for the line. The gang might arrange for someone to be robbed, meaning that they believe they are in debt and have to work for free.  

British Transport Police carry out operations on the rail network across England, Scotland and Wales every day to stop county lines drugs being moved between locations. We always treat children involved in a county lines as potential victims and have experts that will put safeguarding measures in place to get exploited people out of harm’s way. 

If you know who is exploiting young people in this way, you can give information 100% anonymously at fearless.org. Fearless are not the police, they are a charity. Anonymous means your identity is completely unknown.