Parents, carers and members of the community are encouraged to be on the look out for potential changes in a young person's behaviour that may indicate they are being taking advantage of by a criminal gang.

Staffordshire Police said:  "A county line is the criminal model where a dedicated phone number is used to advertise and supply drugs to our communities. 

"A line typically exploits vulnerable people (including children) to transport, store, or sell class A drugs. The controllers of the line frequently reside in other larger cities. 

"They are run by 'line holders' often linked to organised crime gangs (OCGs) and runners, usually children and young people, who deliver the drugs." 

Drug distribution is often linked to violence, knife crime and child criminal exploitation.  

Signs that a young person is being targeted by a gang include: 

• Going missing from school or home (often being found in a different area)
• Having money or expensive items and being unable to explain where they have been sourced  
• Having several phones including a cheap, pay-as-you-go device 
• Receiving multiple calls and texts and being secretive about who they are speaking to 
• A decline in emotional and physical wellbeing 
• A decline in performance at school or work 

Superintendent Victoria Downing, head of the major and organised crime team, said:  "Once a child becomes dependent on these groups, they can be coerced into more widespread criminal activity, often with threats of violence. 

"They are frequently subject to acts of theft or robbery, orchestrated by the controlling criminal, to ensure they are in debt bondage. A debt they are forced to pay by supplying more drugs. 

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"Families and loved ones of the child are also threatened, so the impact of this kind of exploitation reaches far and wide. 

"We want to help parents, carers, young people and our communities to understand what county lines is and why it can be hard to recognise. 

"We will continue to work with partners to safeguard children and young people. This type of drug-related activity has no place in Staffordshire." 

If you have concerns about county lines, call Staffordshire Police on 101, or 999 in an emergency or use the live chat on their website. 

If you'd rather stay anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.