County lines victim Joanne Bakare tells her story at Operation Jigsaw launch

County lines is the name given to drug networks set up by criminal gangs set up in places outside their home cities.

By moving their drug operations from the big cities such as London, Birmingham and Liverpool, to smaller towns and rural locations such as Gwent, gangs can distance themselves from the danger and violence that comes hand in hand with the trade.

But too often, young children drawn by the glamorised social media image of a drug dealer’s lifestyle, are targeted along with vulnerable people to bear the brunt of the cut-throat trade.

Speaking at the launch of Gwent Police’s Operation Jigsaw brand, which aims to raise awareness of serious organised crime, victim Joanne Bakare, 34, from Peckham in South East London, shone a light on her horrifying experiences as a child.

“There weren’t a lot of opportunities growing up, and I was in care and foster homes from a young age,” said Ms Bakare.

“The drug dealers in our areas were very obvious, with gold chains and lots of cash.

“In my area it was guy called Jay. He was in his late 20s and I was almost 15 when we started going out.

“Because of my background in foster care, I just craved love and acceptance. When Jay started to show me attention I thought he loved me.

“I had no idea I was being groomed.”

READ MORE: Early morning raids saw 11 people arrested as part of wide-ranging Operation Jigsaw

Ms Bakare said she noticed Jay was disappearing on weekends, and begged him to take her with him.

He finally let her come along, and along with two other men, he drove her out of London to an unknown town.

Little did Ms Bakare know that Jay had planned the whole episode so it would look like she volunteered.

“We arrived at this flat and went inside,” she said.

“I was shown to a small room, with just a bed and peeling wallpaper inside. Jay gave me a package with heroin and crack cocaine inside and told me that he wanted me to stay here.

“I was told to give drugs and take money from anyone who knocked on the bedroom door.

“I had no idea where I was, no idea what to do, or even if I was allowed to leave the room. I did leave once, and I saw a girl younger than me performing a sexual act on two men a the kitchen table.”

Jay would return intermittently to collect money and give her food, usually chicken and chips or fish and chips, and he was always able to talk her around to staying again.

“I thought I was in love,” explained Ms Bakare.

 

(Joanne Bakare talking at the brand launch)

“Little did I know that he had four other girls the same age in four different flats around the area, and was doing the same thing to all of them.”

Her breaking point came when she stepped on a dirty needle in the flat. Terrified, she ran from the building into the unknown town, flagged down a car and was taken to the police station.

After some time in prison for later drug related offences, Ms Bakare managed to turn her life around and now works for charity St Giles Trust helping children involved in county lines.

“The biggest threat we’re facing is from social media,” said Ms Bakare.

“It’s the glamorised lifestyle of drug dealers surrounded by loads of money and flash clothes. That attracts kids in poverty – why wouldn’t it?

“But it’s not the reality. That’s why it’s important for me to tell my story.

READ MORE: We won't stop the fight against organised crime says police chief

“There’s no profile that fits. It could be children or vulnerable adults, and I’ve seen children from affluent backgrounds get caught up in it too.”

Warning signs to look out for, added Ms Bakare, include those involved suddenly having lots of money or new clothes, drug paraphernalia in their rooms, unexplained injuries, missing from home or school for long periods of time, a second phone that looks older than it should or travelling alone to places far from home.

As well as the fight against drugs and county lines, Operation Jigsaw, the brand name for Gwent police’s fight against serious and organised crime, is targeting human trafficking and modern slavery, as well as financial and cyber-crime.

It has already resulted in some high profile raids across Newport.

Speaking at today's launch (Wendesday, November 28), Gwent Police’s head of protective services, detective chief superintendent Steve Corcoran, said although the force was making inroads into serious and organised crime, there was still a large amount to be done.

“When I ask to officers and members of the public what serious organised crime, I get a different answers every time," he told the audience at the Riverfront Theatre in Newport.

“We hope this brand will engage with the public and show the work we are doing in this area of crime.

“It’s about intervention, education and prevention, we can’t just arrest our way out of this problem.

“We want to prevent these crimes taking place in the first place, by educating and engaging with the public.”

READ MORE: More than 100 specialist officers take part in organised crime raids across Newport

The audience, made up of partner agencies including St Giles Trust, Bernados, Crimestoppers and more, were shown a video of a violent incident that took place on a Newport street as a result of county lines.

In it, a drug dealer on a motorbike is attacked by two others in a car, who slash him across the back with a machete before making off.

The Royal Gwent called in police after the young drug dealer from outside of Newport turned up with the injury in hospital.

Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner, Jeff Cuthbert, spoke about how the nature of crime was changing, and announced he would be updating his police and crime plan next year to adapt.

“By April next year will be half way through the current plan, and I believe the time is right to update it. It was never envisaged as a static direction.

“I want to make it clear for the public to understand the good work carried out by Gwent Police throughout the area.”

Detective Sergeant Mani Venn spoke of her work in the modern slavery and human trafficking team. She explained the crime often hides in plain sight.

“A lot of women and girls are brought into the country on promises of nanny jobs and end up as prostitutes in HMOs, Air BnB’s or rooms booked on Hostel World,” said DS Venn.

“You can’t always tell where these pop up brothels are, so it’s hard to track them down.”

 

(Operation Jigsaw is the name given to Gwent Police's campaign against serious organised crime)

Another aspect of modern slavery touched on by DS Venn was cheap car washes.

“We recently had four Romanian men ask for help, which is unusual because a lot of victims are brainwashed.

“They arrived in the UK after a four day journey on the promise of £35 a day work, but 24 hours later they were working 12 hour shifts for no money at a car wash in Gwent.

“They were immediately in debt as they had to pay back their travel costs and rent with work, and had nothing left to buy food with.

“The four were hot-bedding in Newport, sharing one bed in a rat-infested property with no electric or heating in the freezing cold weather of March this year.

“They were reduced to hoovering up change from the cars they washed and spending it on bread, which they shared.

“Eventually they managed to contact the Romanian embassy, who called us.”

READ MORE: Four arrested by Gwent Police on suspicion of modern day slavery

Other instances of human trafficking and modern slavery included forced labour on farms or building sites.

The cyber and financial crime wing of Gwent Police work with financial analysts to track and seize laundered money.

They’re also heavily involved in protecting businesses from cyber-attacks.

Agencies to contact if you are worried that someone is involved in serious or organised crime, including drugs or county lines, human trafficking or modern slavery, and fraud or financial crime include Childline, Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, Barnardos Cymru and the Modern Slavery Helpline.

You can also call Gwent Police on 999 in an emergency, 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.