By Children arrested by Portsmouth drug squad: 13, 14 and 15
Three children aged 13, 14 and 15 have been arrested by a Portsmouth drug squad tackling county lines drug dealers.
On Monday, Portsmouth police’s high harm team issued a statement saying that they had “arrested and safeguarded a vulnerable young person involved in county lines drug dealing.”
This was followed by the arrest of a 13-year-old boy from Portsmouth on suspicion of possession and intent to supply class A drugs, and for having criminal property. He was stopped and arrested in Kingston Park just after 3pm.
In a tweet, Portsmouth police said:
“Officers from the High Harm Reduction Team have safeguarded a 13-year-old male in Portsmouth from a #CountyLinesNetwork. The boy was completely unknown to police and from the local area.”
The boy has been released from custody but is still under investigation. On Wednesday officers tweeted to say they had arrested two further children:
“A 14 year old and a 15 year old have been arrested and safeguarded by the Portsmouth High Harm Team this afternoon for possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of criminal property.”
A Hampshire police spokeswoman has said:
“Tackling drug-related offences and the harm it brings to our communities and those most vulnerable remains a focus for our teams because we know the destruction and misery it causes.”
County lines dealers recruit young runners to deal on the streets. Gang leaders are not based in the area and entice local youngsters either using cash or by force and the threat of violence. The National Crime Agency are currently running a campaign instructing people on how to watch out for the exploitation of young and vulnerable people in the supply of drugs in smaller towns. They have issued a statement stating:
“A common feature in county lines drug supply is the exploitation of young and vulnerable people. The dealers will frequently target children and adults – often with mental health or addiction problems – to act as drug runners or move cash so they can stay under the radar of law enforcement.”
“As we have seen in child sexual exploitation, children often don’t see themselves as victims or realise they have been groomed to get involved in criminality. So it’s important that we all play our part to understand county lines and speak out if we have concerns.”
Signs to look out for include:
- An increase in visitors and cars to a house or flat
- Unexplained, sometimes unaffordable new things
- Young people seen in different cars/taxis driven by unknown adults
- Truancy, exclusion, disengagement from school
- An increase in anti-social behaviour in the community
Dozens of other people have been arrested across the UK in raids on county lines drug gangs.
If you have concerns about drug-related crime in your area, please contact the police on 101.
Contact Gi Portsmouth
Email us: news@gi-media.co.uk
