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Taxi and private hire drivers urged to spot County Lines drug gangs and report exploitation concerns
Taxi and private hire vehicle drivers are being encouraged to help identify County Lines drug trafficking and exploitation as part of a safeguarding awareness initiative led by Bolsover District Council.
The council’s Licensing and Enforcement team is educating licensed drivers about the warning signs of criminal exploitation and the responsibilities they hold when transporting potentially vulnerable passengers.
The initiative draws on guidance from the National County Lines Coordination Centre, a Home Office project, which identifies taxi and private hire drivers as potentially important sources of information in detecting criminal activity and safeguarding people at risk.
County Lines operations involve organised criminal networks distributing drugs between different locations, often exploiting children, young people and vulnerable adults to transport or store drugs, money and weapons.
Drivers can encounter individuals involved in these operations during everyday journeys, particularly when passengers appear frightened, are being controlled by another person or seem uncertain about their destination.
According to the guidance highlighted by Bolsover District Council, potential warning signs include passengers carrying large amounts of cash, drugs or weapons, as well as individuals being instructed to deliver packages without knowing what they contain.
Young passengers may also be at risk of sexual exploitation, while vulnerable adults can be pressured into supporting criminal operations.
Taxi and private hire drivers are also being advised to recognise signs of cuckooing, a practice in which criminals take control of a vulnerable person's home and use the property for drug-related activity.
Repeated journeys to the same residential address, unfamiliar people regularly entering and leaving a property, or passengers appearing nervous when approaching a destination could indicate possible exploitation.
Other suspicious behaviour can include requests to avoid police, take unusual routes or accept additional cash payments in return for secrecy.
Drivers may also encounter passengers using multiple mobile phones, making frequent calls or allowing another person to direct their journey and speak on their behalf.
The council's awareness campaign also identifies requests to transport packages rather than passengers as a potential warning sign.
For taxi and private hire operators, the guidance highlights how safeguarding responsibilities extend beyond passenger transport and can involve recognising circumstances that may require reporting to the appropriate authorities.
However, individual behaviours or journey patterns do not necessarily establish criminal activity. Drivers are being encouraged to recognise combinations of warning signs and report concerns rather than attempt to investigate suspected offenders themselves.
The campaign comes as licensing authorities continue to place safeguarding responsibilities at the centre of taxi and private hire regulation, with drivers frequently working alone and transporting passengers during evenings and overnight periods.
Bolsover District Council has not specified how many drivers have received the guidance or whether the initiative will involve additional training requirements.
The authority's message is that taxi and private hire drivers, through their regular contact with passengers and communities, may be well placed to recognise signs of exploitation that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Where there is an immediate threat to someone's safety, drivers should contact police on 999. Non-emergency concerns can be reported to police through 101.
Councillor Clive Moesby, Bolsover District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Resources, which includes Community Safety, said: “Drivers spend long hours on the road, often late at night, and may see things others don’t.
“This puts them in a unique position to notice signs of exploitation and criminal activity.
“That’s why taxi and private hire drivers are considered key safeguarding partners in tackling County Lines drug networks, which rely heavily on transport to move drugs, money, and people around the country. The guidance highlights why turning a blind eye can put both passengers and drivers at risk.”
He added: “Drivers must put their own safety first, but by staying alert and reporting concerns via official safeguarding routes, taxi and private hire drivers play a crucial role in stopping exploitation and serious harm in our communities.”
