4mRise in ‘county lines’ drug dealing
They have become known as “county lines” drug supply chains.
They are the network of supply lines for crack cocaine and heroin that link powerful big-city dealers with small-town, rural users.
The National Crime Agency said today it has uncovered around 2,000 county lines across the UK, generating half a billion pounds a year. And the couriers and lower-level dealers are often children, who can be as young as 11.