County Lines - keeping young people safe in Coventry
County Lines - keeping young people safe in Coventry.
Have you got information or concerns you need to share with us? Scroll down to find out how to get in touch.
National statistics released earlier this year show that West Midlands is safer. Crime is reducing thanks to faster responses by police, more arrests, better victim care and good investigations. Serious youth violence is down by nearly 11% and knife crime has fallen by 18%.
Coventry has seen multiple positive outcomes against offenders with several serving custodial sentences for their roles in organised gang activity.
However, we know that there are those still risk at of exploitation. Organised criminal gangs are operating in and around Coventry, preying on vulnerable young people and adults, forcing them to carry and conceal drugs and weapons.
We use a mixture of plain-clothes and uniformed operations across the city. You might not always notice that we are there, but we are working behind-the-scenes to build a better intelligence picture of where crime is happening, when, and how.
Sergeant Dave Moore, from our organised crime and gang team, said: “Our officers are on the ground 24/7 seizing hauls of drugs, cash, weapons and mobiles used in County Lines. We work closely with specialist teams to execute warrants on cannabis factories, cuckooed properties, and 'trap houses'.
“We’re not just arresting offenders - we’re also helping people to rebuild their lives through partnership working. Protecting those most vulnerable in the community is our top priority.
"Your reports of drug-dealing, and suspicious activity around houses in your local area, help us target criminal activity. Every piece of information is key to our policing action, so tell us what you know."
How to report
- Call us – you can contact police on 101 or dial 999 in an emergency
- Report online – Click on the blue speech bubble on the right hand side of this webpage to LiveChat with one of our Contact team.
- If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service 18000 or text us on 999 if you’ve pre-registered with the emergencySMS service.
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Want to stay anonymous? Call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
We're here to make Coventry safer and we urge everyone to support us by sharing any information or concerns relating to gang, drug-related or violent crime across the city.
If you're worried about a young person you know, visit our advice page to learn how to spot the signs of County Lines and report: County lines | West Midlands Police.
You can find more advice from Crimestoppers, relating to gangs and violent crime, here: Speak up to stop county lines and exploitation | Crimestoppers