ORGANISED crime gangs are luring youngsters into becoming drug mules in Keighley, according to a campaigner.

Angela Sinfield said the “County Lines” phenomenon, where criminals invade smaller towns and force vulnerable people to help them, is destroying lives.

Addressing a Keighley Town Council meeting, she said: “This town is run on drugs. Drugs are all over the place, 24/7.

“It’s about time we got to the point of saying we have zero tolerance because it ruins lives and kills people.

“The children being targeted – just like those who are sexually exploited – don’t have the opportunity to walk away, as once they are involved they are threatened with violence.

“A lady came to me about her son who was running drugs. This lady was being taken to court because her son wasn’t attending school, but her son had suffered horrific assaults and she needed help, not prosecution.

“You have to deal with the root cause of the problem, which is organised criminal networks. Unless you deal with that you won’t get close to solving anything.”

Mrs Sinfield, a local mother who has spent many years campaigning against the sexual grooming of children, said she had spoken to West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson but not had a satisfactory response.

“I met Mr Burns-Williamson last year and put 15 questions to him and haven’t had one answer,” she said. “I might as well have been slapped in the face and told ‘we’re not interested in what you’re saying’”.

She said a policeman told her officers knew who the drug dealers were, but he couldn’t explain why these individuals were not being arrested.

She said appeals for the public to get behind the war on drugs are missing the point.

“What we need on the streets of Keighley and all around the country are police officers,” she said. “Members of the public are not police.”

Keighley mayor Cllr Fulzar Ahmed told Mrs Sinfield: “As a council we wholeheartedly condemn these criminal activities, and you definitely have our support.”

Responding after the meeting, Mr Burns-Williamson said: “Having initially met with Mrs Sinfield and Keighley MP John Grogan, written correspondence was later received.

“My safeguarding advisor and I responded in January 2018 with a comprehensive outline of the work being undertaken to tackle Child Sexual Exploitation. (CSE)

“A meeting later took place to discuss the same themes and to support Angela where possible in her work and campaigns.

“I can wholeheartedly say I’m fully taking an interest in what is happening in Keighley.

“Only last month I visited Keighley to meet the Neighbourhood Policing Team. I spoke to inspector Khalid Khan about these particular subjects, including the proactive work to tackle drug dealing. “West Yorkshire is the only force in Yorkshire and Humber to increase drug seizures last year.

“As chairman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, I’m doing all I can to raise many of these matters on a national platform, which helps shape local policing responses.

“As I lead the national portfolio around Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery, I know full well the extent to which County Lines crime can impact communities.

“Alongside partners, I’ve helped create a regional and national network where key agencies meet regularly to share best practice, increase communication, and bolster support for victims – all key in stopping County Lines from operating.”

Also speaking after the meeting, town councillor Anayat Mohammad said: “The fight police are putting up against County Lines is admirable but with constraints on their resources this crime has taken a real hold.

“I sit on the CSE working group United Keighley, representing the MP’s office and a suggestion was made to include County Lines within the remit of our group.

“My view is that CSE is too important and County Lines too big to include on United Keighley’s already heavy agenda.

“At our next meeting I’ll recommend we form a separate working group to focus on County Lines. Along with my colleagues I give credit to Angela’s determination to bring this to the town council. “Now it’s for us to raise the matter where we can make a difference in the fight against this crime.”