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How can housing associations help to tackle the ‘county lines’ drugs phenomenon?

Lives are being ruined by the trade of illegal drugs through ‘county lines’ networks. But what can housing associations do to help? Sir Peter Fahy explains

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Picture: Getty
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Lives are being ruined by the trade of illegal drugs through ‘county lines’ networks. But what can housing associations do to help? Sir Peter Fahy explains #ukhousing

“HAs can train their staff to spot the signs of county lines and of other forms of modern slavery as they go about their day-to-day business on repairs and safety checks,” says Sir Peter Fahy #ukhousing

“Staff need to be working with the police, the local authorities and other agencies in anti-slavery and community safety partnerships sharing information and taking joined-up action when required,” says Sir Peter Fahy #ukhousing

Deaths from illegal drug use are at record levels – almost 3,000 people died as a result of drugs in 2018.

Other statistics show that the use of class A drugs is also at a record high. New chemical substances are being added to the market, but the fact is that the illegal drug market is saturated and violently chaotic.

Anyone who has lived with an addict or had one in their family knows the enormous misery caused by drug misuse.

The deception, the dashed hopes and the way the drive for the next fix overrides every other consideration for their safety or the welfare of others.

There are huge amounts of money to be made and the serious criminals who have got a part of the market will do all they can to keep that market and expand it.

“Anyone who has lived with an addict or had one in their family knows the enormous misery caused by drug misuse”

In particular, they need vulnerable people who can be turned into addicts and so become regular customers who depend on their dealer to get through each day.

Drug dealing is risky, however, and the greatest threat often comes from other dealers, rather than the police. The greatest risk is in storing or transporting drugs and so dealers work out ways to reduce that risk. This is where the concept of county lines comes in.

County lines gets its name from the particular phone numbers or lines that are used to order drugs and so control the market by organised crime groups.

County lines is different from other forms of drug dealing because of the way it uses the homes of highly vulnerable people to store drugs and sell from, and the way it uses vulnerable young people to move drugs about the country.

These young people are drawn in with the promise of large amounts of money to be made but are then trapped in the network and ruthlessly exploited.


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The young person is sent to make a delivery but is then ‘robbed’ of the drugs by other members of the gang unknown to him or her and so ends up being in serious debt to the gang.

Girls who are brought in, as dealers or members of the gang, may end up sexually exploited and passed around as favours.

If a young person is arrested carrying drugs they know that they and their family will be in serious danger if they reveal anything about their dealer and the organisation around them.

Local housing officers know that this is going on in their properties and in the neighbourhoods they work in, as it is in many areas of the country.

Many housing association tenants are vulnerable through mental illness, addiction or debt, for example.

Their homes may be taken over by criminal gangs for dealing and their neighbours are too frightened to say anything or perhaps just don’t recognise the signs.

Parents are desperate when they see their young people being drawn into dealing and being violently exploited, and when drug dealing can seem more glamorous than studying for exams.

We are all worried by the rise in knife crime and the tragic, pointless deaths of so many young people drawn into drug networks.

What can housing associations do about this criminal trade?

They can train their staff to spot the signs of county lines and of other forms of modern slavery as they go about their day-to-day business on repairs and safety checks.

In particular, they should watch out for those who may be vulnerable to this exploitation.

Staff need to be on the watch for properties that are being misused and signs such as increased numbers of callers at a particular address or drug paraphernalia in the vicinity.

They need to be working with the police, the local authorities and other agencies in anti-slavery and community safety partnerships, sharing information and taking joined-up action when required, including using the powers they have as landlords.

We know that our tenants and other people living in the neighbourhoods we serve are the best people to spot the signs of county lines and exploitation.

“Staff need to be working with the police, the local authorities and other agencies in anti-slavery and community safety partnerships, sharing information and taking joined-up action when required”

They are the ones most likely to notice lots of strangers calling at a particular address. Or they may notice that a particular young person has changed their behaviour and is going away to other parts of the country for no obvious good reason.

They may pick up gossip that a particular bunch of criminals is trying to rule the area using extreme violence and are drawing young people into their net.

They may hear that a particular family is living in fear because of drug debts.

Tenants can call Crimestoppers with any information and also be encouraged to share concerns with housing officers.

They need to know that such staff will take concerns seriously, but not pass on personal details to the police without their consent as tenants may be in fear of the dealers.

Thousands of lives are being ruined by this trade, by violent greedy people who have little regard for the young people they ruthlessly exploit.

Housing associations have a crucial part to play in the fight to disrupt it.

Sir Peter Fahy, chair, Plus Dane Housing

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