Children are being used to sell drugs

MANCHESTER needs more funding from the government to prevent vulnerable children being forced to traffic drugs around the country, a report going before councillors says.

So-called ‘county lines’ – where children as young as 11 are exploited by drug gangs – is a ‘massive safeguarding issue’ in the city, according to the document.

“Deprived poor children are targets for the people behind child criminal exploitation,” the report reads, saying poverty is the ‘main driving force’, especially in Harpurhey and Wythenshawe.

County lines is the police term to describe city gangs who set up criminal franchises in rural towns and villages with little or no competition and use children to maintain outposts.

Thousands of children across the country have been groomed to work as ‘mules’ by dealers who have expanded into rural and seaside towns.

“It is a massive safeguarding issue now for Manchester council,” the report says.

The notice of motion document says the ‘council call on the government for funding to stop child criminal exploitation, we need funding to protect and safeguard our children and young people’.

The government has pledged £3.6m earlier this year to tackle the issue nationwide but charity Children’s Society has a Lottery bid for £3m to deal with the problem in Greater Manchester alone.