£5m funding for county lines victims

THE Home Office has allocated up to £5 million to support victims of county lines exploitation over the next three years.

Hundreds of victims will be helped to escape drug gangs following the expansion of support services in London, the West Midlands, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.

These are the largest exporting areas for county lines activity, which involves drug-trafficking operations in which children or vulnerable adults are groomed to run drugs from one city to other parts of the country.

The money will go towards providing a rescue service and specialist one-to-one support for victims.

Home Office Minister Jeremy Quin said: “I want victims of exploitation to know that we are on their side – and that there is a way out, a brighter future available.”