Nottinghamshire Police launches first ever joint county lines and modern slavery team

For the first time, Nottinghamshire Police will be utilising the skills of experts in both fields to stop county lines and modern slavery offenders exploiting vulnerable people.

Lead by Detective Chief Inspector Nick Waldram, the team will focus on protecting potential victims of both crimes as well as pursuing perpetrators.

DCI Nick Waldram, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We spotted a direct correlation between vulnerable victims of county lines and modern slavery legislation and saw an opportunity to create a team that will become specialists in tackling issues around both areas of crime.

“Children who are exploited to sell drugs and commit other crimes as part of county lines operations are essentially modern slaves who have often been misled by organised crime groups.

“Our new approach will see a combination of tactics used to combat both county lines and modern slavery as well as working with our partners in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils.

“We also work closely with British Transport Police, as a lot of county lines offenders are using the rail network to move between areas.

“Our partnerships with other forces are also vital, as offenders crossing county boundaries can commit crime across multiple locations.”

Detective Inspector Paul Lefford, of Nottinghamshire Police’s county lines and modern slavery unit, said: “Modern slavery can manifest in various forms and now more than ever, we are seeing children manipulated and controlled by criminals.

“Our commitment is to keep the people of Nottinghamshire safe and help people who are stuck in difficult situations to get out of them.”

The signs of modern slavery can be complex and hard to spot but if you think or suspect that someone is being held somewhere against their will, you can call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700.