County lines drug dealers disguise themselves as joggers to keep their cover in the lockdown
Drug dealers are disguising themselves as joggers to keep their cover during the Covid-19 lockdown, according to an expert on gangs.
Professor Simon Harding, director of the National Centre for Gang Research (NCGR) at the University of West London, said "county lines" gangsters were dressing up as joggers so they could blend into the background on deserted streets and continue their drug dealing.
“It legitimises your presence on the street to avoid police detection otherwise you might draw attention on empty streets,” he said.
Professor Harding, who has just published a book on county lines gangs, said gangs were also using fake NHS ID badges to continue street dealing.
“It gives the impression that you are a key worker so that you can move about unhindered and unchallenged with the NHS logo clearly visible,” he said.
There had also been at least two cases of NHS staff being mugged for their NHS lanyards, he added.
many dealers were also "heeding government advice on social distancing", turning to social media, "drive-by sales" or letterbox drops to avoid infection.
Gangs were using social media more to communicate with members or threatening rivals rather than congregating on street corners.
Drugs were thrown from their cars after users dropped their money on the back seat to avoid personal contact or they were dropped off through letter boxes, with the money passed back through.
"On one hand they really are heeding Government advice on social distancing, but at the same time it is business as usual and as people were panic-buying food, dealers were running bulk deals and selling lockdown party packs," he said.
"Vehicles are being used more often to carry out deals arranged by phone, with products thrown from windows and money chucked on the back seat to keep items clean."
Professor Harding said the lockdown and travel restrictions are affecting the "county lines" gang model - which sees young and vulnerable people used as couriers to move drugs and cash between cities and smaller towns.
The new tactics have also led to a reduction in so-called "cuckooing" - where gang members take over the home of a vulnerable person to cut, sort and deal drugs - because it is seen as too risky for health, he explained.
"Sending groups of young lads out to Southend-on-Sea by train to carry drugs is too risky now, so increasingly dealers are driving runners around, or hiring local people to do the job," said Prof Harding.
"Street gangs are being forced to find new tactics, such as shifting grooming and recruitment online to social media.This means young people can become ensnared in dangerous gang activity from their phones while their families have no idea and that is a worry.
“They are very crafty. They are very adaptive. They have moved extremely quickly to make adaptations to their method of drug supply.”
Last month, National Crime Agency (NCA) director general Lynn Owens said prices are rising with fewer drugs entering into the UK.
She said some drug dealers are trying to disguise themselves as key workers by wearing high visibility clothing or operating from supermarket car parks as they adapt to the coronavirus lockdown.
"They are having to find new ways of working and new networks," Ms Owens said. "Drug dealers moving illicit drugs are concerned about greater scrutiny as they recognise that with less people on the streets, they are more visible."
On April 14, UK Border Force officials found 14 kilos of cocaine stashed among two consignments of facemasks after stopping a Polish van driver near Calais.
