Police hunting drug-dealers in North Yorkshire have identified ‘County Lines’ coming into the region from Bradford, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, a meeting was told.

And it also emerged that almost half of the 40 people arrested in the hunt for cross-county drug-dealing criminals in North Yorkshire this year have been under the age of 18.

The update comes as police reveal they are increasingly liaising with schools to help identify vulnerable students who could be at risk of exploitation from so-called ‘County Lines’ gangs.

The revelations from two senior police, Inspectors Penny Taylor and Steve Breen, were presented to members of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny committee.

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Insp Taylor told councillors: “We’re seeing drug-dealers involved in County Lines using different modes of transport – hire vehicles, taxis, trains and buses…it’s an  area of concern for us."

Councillors were told there had been five convictions in 2019 in relation to county lines crime, including Mohammad Khizer, 22, of Percival Street, Bradford, who was sentenced to over five years and two months for possession and intent to supply Class A drugs, as well as dangerous driving, in the spa town of Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police have previously said that the county’s huge borders made it particularly vulnerable to County Lines, the term used when drug gangs from big cities expand their operations to smaller towns.

Since January, 40 arrests have been made as law enforcement crack down on cross-county crime in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, with around 15 of those arrested less than 18 years of age. 

The youthful nature of offenders has seen North Yorkshire increase the number of officers and Police Community Support Officers liaising with local schools to identify vulnerable young people at risk of becoming involved in the crime.

As of July 2019, police have identified three lines into Harrogate and Knaresborough, and one current line into Ripon. Inspectors Breen and Taylor also appealed to councillors to let their constituents know to report suspected drug dealing incidents to Crimestoppers, or contact North Yorkshire Police directly.