Bandos, burners and trap houses - ‘County Lines’ jargon explained
Criminal gangs could be targeting primary school children to act as illegal couriers for drugs, cash and even weapons.
Police and council chiefs have been trying to raise awareness of the issue of ‘County Lines’ trafficking in an attempt to make sure parents, carers and others can spot potential warning signs.
These can include children who regularly go missing, who have unexplained phones, cash, expensive clothes or even injuries.
According to the South Tyneside Safeguarding Children Partnership (STSCP), which is leading prevention measures in the borough, gangs are also known to use specific terminology to refer to their activities, including:
:: Burner – a phone
:: Trap house – a building used as a base for selling drugs
:: Trap line – a mobile phone intended specifically to coordinate the sale of drugs
:: Going country – ‘county lines’ activity
:: Bandos – abandoned houses