The issue of children being forced to sell drugs in rural areas has resulted in a surge in the number of slavery victims in Britain, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
In 2017, 5,145 potential victims were flagged to the National Referral Mechanism, an increase of 35% from 2016 and nearly triple the number reported in 2013.
The problem of county lines drug trading, where young people are recruited by dealers who groom them and offer them money to set up and sell drugs in out-of-town locations, is thought to be partly behind the rise.
Will Kerr, the NCA director, said that the rise was partly due to greater reporting but of particular concern was the rise in young people being explotted for sex or drug trafficking.
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