Abstract
In Chap. 4 we explored more broadly some of the overarching processes and trends in the British drugs trade. We explored this through three main themes. Firstly, we looked at changes in the IDM. We then proceeded to look at supply processes at the local and regional level, and through a case study of Paisley, explored how dealers changed tactics as they adapted to the new dealing environment. The last theme was that of professionalisation as we tracked the need for dealers to become more ‘business-like’ in their activities in order to be successful, blurring lines between the upper- and under-worlds and the extent to which people were or were not involved in illegal activities. In this chapter we now look at how these overarching trends and processes have contributed to the rise in County Lines activity, as the emerging new model of drug supply in Britain today.
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Notes
- 1.
Although this is not to suggest cohabitation is unanimous, popular and just accepted but rather it can be an ‘uneasy truce’ which allows each entity to function better than it would should conflict and ‘wars’ resume and take priority before business operations.
- 2.
The term ‘Face’ is used here to indicate the individual that Bobby uses to make contact with retail-level dealers who then sell drugs directly to customers. This method is used so Bobby can avoid detection and also because of face’s reputation on the estate.
- 3.
The term ‘Killer’ here is used to indicate rival outfits as opposed to actual individuals who have committed murder or homicide.
- 4.
This method would seem to be more affiliated with having some kinship in the area which the OCG from the major city seek to move into. This helps create a durable model and eases transition.
- 5.
This will depend on whether the individual lives alone, with a partner, has children or stays with parental figures. The OCG targets users who live in isolation or perhaps with a partner who is also an addict, in order to keep activities censored and confined to the underworld.
- 6.
These prepaid or ‘pay as you go’ mobile phones are typically known as ‘burners’ and are regularly replaced. They are not aligned to any person, location, or ongoing payments. This makes burners difficult to trace and even more difficult to link to any particular person or group.
- 7.
Note, that these details are not necessarily the actual phone number of potential customers but may be the user names of potential customers on certain apps such as BBM or Snap Chat. Apps may vary considerably.
- 8.
A term used to describe the home from which drugs are being sold.
- 9.
Poly is strain of cannabis widely consumed by young people in Merseyside.
- 10.
Shotting is a street term given to describe drug dealing usually in small quantities at the lower end of supply.
- 11.
ISS[P] is short for Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme and is a non-custodial intervention granted by the Courts to young offenders. Those on ISSPs are often monitored for 25 hours each week for a set period of time, allowing agencies to track and monitor the whereabouts of the individual in addition to trying to address their offending behaviour.
- 12.
More so in terms of operating in provincial communities, villages and towns. The statement by Dean would suggest that some OCGs have separate County Lines from England to other major cities for some decades, yet arguably the recent attention given to provincial areas is due to improvements in resources which allow continual and sustainable activity to occur.
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McLean, R., Robinson, G., Densley, J.A. (2020). Working County Lines. In: County Lines. SpringerBriefs in Criminology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33362-1_5
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