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Mid and West Wales AM Helen Mary Jones on tackling the County Lines phenomenon

LAST week in the Senedd chamber I raised a recent phenomenon that gets referred to as ‘County Lines’.

This is where drug dealers move predominantly young people, but certainly vulnerable people, from large urban centres and using them to sell drugs and, unfortunately, sex services as well, in our towns.

Dyfed-Powys police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llewelyn alerted me to a case where the force had to deal with two 14-year-olds from outside the area who were involved in drug supply in Llanelli. The young people who should be treated as victims, while they are undoubtedly committing offences, they’re certainly not doing so of their own free will. I called for further discussions by the Welsh Government with the appropriate partners, which obviously include the police service, but also includes prosecutors, because we have to ensure that these young people are not treated as criminals.

It is important that charges are pursued, as they are being in the Llanelli case, against the adult men who were involved in putting the young people in this position.

The Welsh Government has to talk to social services and to housing providers about this issue.

I also urged the Welsh Government to have discussions with Ministers in London to try and put a stop to this phenomenon as well because many of these young people are coming from large English cities.

This is having a big impact in the communities such as Llanelli where it’s happening but is also having a devastating impact on the young people directly involved.

Follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/ helenmarycymru or like my page www.facebook. com/HelenMaryJones Plaid. If you wish to contact me about these or any other issues, email HelenMary.Jones@ assembly.wales