CRIMESTOPPERS LAUNCHES NATIONAL COUNTY LINES CAMPAIGN IN WALES/ Crimestoppers yn lansio ymgyrch i godi ymwybyddiaeth o ‘linellau sirol’

Crimestoppers launches campaign to raise awareness of ‘County Lines’ and the exploitation of vulnerable people

The charity Crimestoppers is today launching a national campaign to highlight the devastating effect of urban drug gangs across communities, and is asking for your help to try and tackle the issue by reporting any information on ‘county lines’ anonymously.

County lines commonly involves dealers expanding their business by supplying drugs from urban to suburban and rural areas across the country. This can include market and coastal towns, using dedicated mobile phone lines or “deal lines.”

A new UK campaign is being rolled out in Dyfed Powys, Gwent and South Wales to support Operation Guardian which aims to protect, not punish, the vulnerable adults and children exploited by organised crime groups to move drugs and money to and from the target areas.

The charity is running a series of digital adverts aimed at giving you more information on this crime and how you can help by reporting to Crimestoppers anonymously. The campaign will also be promoted at this week’s Royal Welsh Show and through a digital Advan touring parts of Wales.

The crime sees gangs often exploiting children and vulnerable adults. They will frequently use intimidation, violence and weapons, including knives, corrosives and firearms.  They set up a base in a rural or suburban area for a short time, taking over the home of a vulnerable person and use adults and children to act as drug runners.

Many of those targeted have been forced to carry out criminal activity by threats, grooming and extortion and can be described as modern day slaves.

In April this year, two gang members involved in county line drug dealing were also jailed for human trafficking offences at Swansea Crown Court.

Mahad Yusuf, 21, was sentenced to ten years in prison and Fesal Mahamud, 20, for nine years after they trafficked a vulnerable 19-year-old woman and forced her to transport drugs from London to Swansea.

They contacted the victim through social media with the promise of work, but instead beat her and forced her to sell heroin.

The case was the first offence of its type to be prosecuted under Modern Slavery legislation.

Ella Rabaiotti, Crimestoppers Wales Manager, said: “Whilst drug dealing across our towns and cities isn’t new, the methods employed by organised criminals is becoming increasingly sophisticated and harmful. Vulnerable drug users and young people are being targeted with the promise of gifts and cash but instead are being used and abused to support a network of organised crime.

“We need help to put a stop to this exploitation and the damage that these criminals are inflicting on our communities and those being taken advantage of.”

“We are asking you to contact us anonymously and safely through our 0800 555 111 number, or via our secure online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org – both methods are 100% anonymous. Always. Together we can put a stop to this.”

If you have any information on those from cities who have recently travelled or moved into an area to set up a drugs network, those who are exploiting vulnerable children and adults and who may using violence or abuse to carry out their activities, Crimestoppers is here to take your information. You can contact us anonymously on 0800 555 111 or can send an untraceable online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org.

Crimestoppers yn lansio ymgyrch i godi ymwybyddiaeth o ‘linellau sirol’

Rydych chi wedi clywed y term ‘llinellau sirol’, ond beth mae’n ei olygu?

Heddiw, mae elusen Crimestoppers yn lansio ymgyrch genedlaethol i amlygu effaith ddinistriol gangiau cyffuriau trefol ar draws cymunedau, ac mae’n gofyn am eich help chi er mwyn ceisio delio â’r mater trwy adrodd unrhyw wybodaeth am ‘linellau sirol’ mewn ffordd ddienw.

Fel arfer, mae llinellau sirol yn golygu delwyr yn ehangu eu busnes trwy gyflenwi cyffuriau o ardaloedd trefol i ardaloedd maestrefol a gwledig ar hyd a lled y wlad.  Gall hyn gynnwys trefi marchnad a threfi arfordirol, gan ddefnyddio llinellau ffôn symudol arbennig neu “linellau delio.”

Caiff ymgyrch newydd ar draws y DU ei chyflwyno yn ardaloedd Dyfed Powys, Gwent a De Cymru er mwyn cefnogi Ymgyrch Guardian, sy’n ceisio diogelu, nid cosbi’r oedolion a’r plant agored i niwed y bydd grwpiau troseddau trefnedig yn camfanteisio arnynt er mwyn symud cyffuriau ac arian i’r ardaloedd a dargedir ac oddi yno.

Bydd yr elusen yn cynnal cyfres o hysbysebion digidol a fydd yn ceisio rhoi rhagor o wybodaeth i chi am y troseddau hyn a sut y gallwch chi helpu trwy adrodd gwybodaeth i Crimestoppers mewn ffordd ddienw.  Caiff yr ymgyrch ei hyrwyddo yn ystod Sioe Frenhinol Cymru yr wythnos hon hefyd, ac wrth i Fan Hysbysebion Digidol deithio o gwmpas rhannau o Gymru.

Yn aml, bydd gangiau yn camfanteisio ar blant ac oedolion agored i niwed wrth gyflawni’r troseddau hyn.  Byddant yn aml yn bygwth ac yn defnyddio trais ac arfau, gan gynnwys cyllyll, cyrydyddion ac arfau tanio.  Byddant yn manteisio ar safle mewn ardal wledig neu faestrefol am gyfnod byr, gan gymryd drosodd cartref unigolyn agored i niwed, a chan ddefnyddio oedolion a phlant fel negeswyr cyffuriau.

Gorfodwyd nifer o’r rhai a dargedwyd i gyflawni gweithgarwch troseddol trwy eu bygwth, eu paratoi a’u gorfodi, a gellir eu disgrifio fel caethweision modern.

Ym mis Ebrill eleni, carcharwyd dau aelod gang a fu’n ymwneud â delio cyffuriau trwy linellau sirol am droseddau masnachu pobl hefyd yn Llys y Goron Abertawe.

Rhoddwyd dedfryd o ddeng mlynedd yn y carchar i Mahad Yusuf, 21, a rhoddwyd dedfryd o naw mlynedd yn y carchar i Fesal Mahamud, 20, ar ôl iddynt fasnachu menyw 19 oed agored i niwed a’i gorfodi i gludo cyffuriau o Lundain i Abertawe.

Roeddent wedi cysylltu â’r dioddefwr trwy gyfryngau cymdeithasol, gan addo gwaith iddi, ond yn lle hynny, aethant ymlaen i’w churo a’i gorfodi i werthu heroin.

Yr achos oedd y drosedd gyntaf o’i math i gael ei herlyn dan ddeddfwriaeth Caethwasiaeth Fodern.

Dywedodd Ella Rabaiotti, Rheolwr Cymru Crimestoppers:  “Er nad yw delio cyffuriau ar draws ein trefi a’n dinasoedd yn rhywbeth newydd, mae’r dulliau a ddefnyddir gan droseddwyr trefnedig yn mynd yn fwyfwy soffistigedig a niweidiol.  Targedir pobl ifanc a defnyddwyr cyffuriau agored i niwed trwy addo rhoddion ac arian iddynt, ond yn lle hynny, cânt eu defnyddio a’u cam-drin er mwyn cynorthwyo rhwydwaith troseddu trefnedig.

“Mae angen help arnom er mwyn atal y camfanteisio hwn a’r niwed y mae’r troseddwyr hyn yn ei achosi yn ein cymunedau ac i’r rhai y byddant yn cymryd mantais ohonynt.”

“Rydym yn gofyn i chi gysylltu â ni mewn ffordd ddiogel a dienw trwy ffonio ein rhif 0800 555 111 neu trwy lenwi ein ffurflen ar-lein ddiogel ar Crimestoppers-uk.org – mae’r ddau ddull yn hollol ddienw.  Bob tro.  Gyda’n gilydd, gallwn roi terfyn ar hyn.”

Os oes gennych chi unrhyw wybodaeth am bobl sydd wedi teithio i ardal neu symud i ardal yn ddiweddar er mwyn datblygu rhwydwaith cyffuriau, y rhai sy’n camfanteisio ar blant ac oedolion agored i niwed ac y gallent fod yn defnyddio trais neu’n cam-drin er mwyn cyflawni eu gweithgareddau, mae Crimestoppers yma i gymryd eich gwybodaeth chi.  Gallwch gysylltu â ni mewn ffordd ddienw ar 0800 555 111 neu gallwch anfon ffurflen ar-lein na fydd modd eich olrhain chi ohoni, ar Crimestoppers-uk.org.