11:36 Times investigatesThe UK’s county lines networks have evolved into a sophisticated business model that thrives on the exploitation of the young. David Collins, Northern Editor of The Sunday Times, and David Woode, Crime Editor of The Times, go inside a police disruption unit in North Yorkshire to witness high-stakes raids targeting the “line holders” who pull the strings from a single mobile phone. Beyond the arrests, they uncover a disturbing tactical shift where gangs use the Modern Slavery Act as a legal shield for their recruits. It is a portrait of a relentless cycle where, as soon as one line is severed, another rises to meet the demand of a market now flooded with lethal synthetic alternatives. Video produced by Federica De Caria

Source: The Times March 21, 2026 13:42 UTC