Children are being exploited as drug couriers by 'county lines' gangs in record numbers, according to shock figures obtained by the Daily Record from Police Scotland under Freedom of Information. In the 12 months from April 2020 to March 2021, there were six cases of children under 16 being county line victims, but that number surged to 39 in 2025/26. For young people aged 16-17, cases rose from 16 to 65 in the same period. Overall, 104 county line victims under 18 were recorded last year, compared to 22 in 2020/21—an increase of almost 500%.
How County Lines Exploit Children
County lines involve criminals from major cities expanding drug trafficking into smaller towns, often using children as mules to transport, store, or guard drugs. Michele Janes, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “The reported increase from Police Scotland in the number of children being identified and recorded at risk of criminal exploitation by so-called ‘county lines’ gangs is very concerning. County lines exploitation refers to a violent and exploitative form of drug distribution where children or young people are being forced to carry out criminal activity through coercion or deception.”
Grooming Tactics and Criminal Records
Gangs use tactics such as giving money, drugs, or clothing to groom children, who often do not see themselves as victims. Janes added: “The child or young person involved does not always recognise themselves as a victim and often end up with a criminal record, despite the fact that they have been blackmailed, coerced and exploited.” The FOI figures come from Police Scotland referrals to the National Referral Mechanism, a Home Office body that helps victims of human trafficking and slavery.
Rising Numbers and Government Action
Since 2021, Police Scotland recorded 312 young people under 18 involved in county lines as victims or perpetrators. In February, child exploitation expert Professor Alexis Jay told MSPs that gangs target vulnerable children outside schools to transport drugs and weapons, and that sexual violence is increasingly used to control them. In March, Police Scotland arrested 43 suspects in a blitz on county lines gangs, seizing nearly £1 million in narcotics, cash, and weapons. Thirty-eight vulnerable people, including nine children, were found caught up in the operations. In July, two men—Dean Alford, 31, and Rory Morgan, 32—were jailed for over eight years combined for turning flats in Aberdeen into drug dens.
Expert Calls for Better Protection
Lesley Gordon, Director of Criminal Exploitation at Action for Children, said: “The increase in the number of children being referred as at risk of criminal exploitation is concerning—though, sadly, not surprising. These figures reflect what we have been seeing on the ground for many years. The criminal exploitation of children, including through county lines, is a growing and complex form of abuse. It is vital we also recognise these numbers are likely only the tip of the iceberg. Significant gaps remain, especially without a clear, statutory definition of child criminal exploitation.”
Police Scotland Response
Chief Superintendent Sarah Taylor of Police Scotland said: “Safeguarding vulnerable young people who are at risk of human trafficking, child sexual exploitation or being drawn into criminal activity by county lines drug dealers is a priority for Police Scotland. We are committed to working with a variety of partners to identify and protect young people at risk and bring anyone committing criminal offences against them to justice. There has been a considerable increase in awareness of these offences due to greater public awareness, and we will continue to act on all referrals made to us.”
