Merseyside Police has suggested there could be over 1,000 County Lines around the country run by grooming gangs from St Helens.
Speaking in a publicly shared video about how criminal gangs are exploiting youths in St Helens to sell ketamine a police officer said there are suggestions of over 1,000 County Lines run from St Helens. Police in the Merseyside town have reported an increase in the use of the Class B drug attributing its usage to “rapid escalation in violent crime and anti-social behaviour” in the town centre.
In response to the rising issue Merseyside Police said: "Ketamine use in children in St Helens is on the rise. It causes serious health conditions and is highly addictive. Ketamine use is linked to violent crime and child exploitation."
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And now PC Pete Allen has explained how criminal gangs from cities including Manchester and Liverpool have flocked to St Helens to run County Lines operations exploiting young people to sell drugs. PC Allen said: “What we’re finding in St Helens is that criminal gangs are exploiting the young youths and are coming down from the larger cities like Manchester and Liverpool.
“These are called County Lines and at present we’ve suggested there are over 1,000 County Lines in and around the country that are run from St Helens grooming gangs where young children are at the end of the mobile phone, which is the line, and they are being exploited to sell the likes of ketamine within cuckoo houses.”
PC Allen also warned those taking the Class B drug of the legal risks. He said possession of ketamine can "take a sentence of five years and 14 for possession with intent to supply".
He added: "We are also concerned about driving under the influence of ketamine which could carry a 12 month driving ban which for young drivers will take their annual policy from approximately £2,000 to £6,0000-plus a year.
"What we then see is young drivers driving vehicles without the insurance which leads on to a full lifetime of crime."
He finished the video: “I’d like to end this short talk by telling people that it’s never ever too late to stop taking or selling ketamine. There is always somebody out there to talk to and get in touch with any responsible adult, teacher, friend, police officer or the Young People Drug and Alcohol Team. We do care.”
