AN ORGANISED drug gang has left Callington thanks to an increase in police presence and recent local and national media attention which highlighted the issue known as County Lines.

In the Times recently Callington police confirmed that an organised gang from London had started to target Callington and officers were asking for help in protecting young and vulnerable people in the area.

County Lines is the term used to describe urban gangs supplying drugs to other parts of the UK outside their usual operating area. The gangs are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults in order to move and store drugs and money. To do this they will often use intimidation, violence, coercion and maybe the use of weapons.

Callington PCSO Jo Addems said that the neighbourhood team had been increasing their patrols in the town to explain about County Lines and the signs to look for.

‘We have been educating people and explained what signs to look for — we also visited primary schools, secondary schools and colleges, doctors surgeries and pubs, making everyone in the local area know about this.’

PCSO Addems added that the effect of all the recent local and national media attention on this issue within Callington was believed to have caused the gang to leave the town.

The signs of County Lines people should look out for are:

A child or young person going missing from school or home or significant changes in emotional well-being?

A person meeting unfamiliar adults or a change to their behaviour

The use of drugs and alcohol

Acquiring money or expensive gifts they can’t account for

Lone children from outside of the area

Individuals with multiple mobile phones or tablets or ‘SIM cards’

Young people with more money, expensive clothing, or accessories than they can account for

Unknown or suspicious looking characters coming and going from a neighbour’s house

Relationships with controlling or older individuals or associated with gangs

Suspicion of self-harm, physical assault or unexplained injuries

These gangs will regularly exploit vulnerable people, by building up a debt or using threats and violence in order to take over a person’s home to use it as a place to sell, supply and store drugs, commonly referred to as ‘cuckooing’. These people may invite other people to stay in your home without asking you, or they may bully and threaten you to leave your home.