Shameful secret of UK's most beautiful city as drug lords ship in runners young as 13 & stash Bond-style golden guns
HOARDS of tourists flock to pretty, historic York every day - but beneath the surface lies a dark underbelly of county lines criminality which sees kids as young as 13 deal drugs on street corners.
The city - which regularly tops polls of the UK's most beautiful places to live - is famous for its quaint medieval streets, boutique shops and magnificent cathedral.
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But locals tell us that behind the scenes youngsters are being exploited and forced to run drugs and cash to the area, which is rife with dealing and addiction.
At York Station, a stone's throw from the National Railway Museum, home to some of the world's oldest steam engines, the gates are wide open, meaning you don't have to show a ticket to enter the city.
This makes it all the easier for vulnerable youngsters - who are also being shipped in by gangs via taxis - to arrive in York unchecked.
The northern city, located less than 30 miles from Leeds, attracts nine million visitors every year and is one of the UK's most popular tourist hotspots.
But the issue of county lines is so severe North Yorkshire Police have launched a mammoth operation, named Project Titan, to tackle the criminality it's brought to the area.
Detective Chief Inspector Shaun Page, Operation Titan's lead, told a local paper it was in response to a 'huge increase in violence related incidents' in the city since last September.
Earlier this year they arrested 113 people in just four months as part of their investigation, during which both plain clothed and uniformed officers carry out surveillance in the worst hit parts of the city.
The term 'county lines' refers to the trafficking of illegal substances into smaller areas via public transport, away from bigger destinations like Birmingham and Liverpool.
But shockingly, it's commonly students and school children who are exploited to act as drug runners or move wads of cash.
In York, locals direct us to the Clifton area on the outskirts of the city, where they say the problem is rife.
The ketamine kids ravaging UK town as dealers hit PRIMARY schools & teen girls draw business plans to become drug lords
One recent police bust certainly backed up their claims, with astonishing pictures showing hauls of vacuum packed drugs, wads of huge sums of cash, six mobile phones and a pistol-style BB gun seized from a property.
A man in his 20s suspected of importing drugs has been arrested.
Dealers on doorsteps
In Clifton, one 64-year-old woman named Julie, who didn't want to give her surname, tells us county lines gangs are on her doorstep.
She said: "Last year it was terrible for drugs, crime and knives.
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"Police have been around here every single day to try and clean it up.
"Only recently there were loads of police from Liverpool, so that just shows it's county lines.
"It was Liverpool CID so they must have been thinking the drugs were being brought in from there.
"They were walking the streets and knocking on doors.
"It is the vulnerable people who are getting exploited.
"York is a nice place but if you come out of the big centre on to the outskirts then the drugs are all over.
"Clifton is starting to get tidied up but it's still a problem."
Shabby-looking flats on terraced streets fill the area, whilst a knife drop-off box has been placed just metres away from busy shops.
The amnesty box encourages people to safely discard of blades and weapons anonymously.
We know county lines is an issue because young people are getting arrested and there are undercover coppers driving around the streets
Jake Noble, 22, said: "I see drugs being dealt from outside my window every day.
"It's just normal and you get used to it. It's definitely younger people doing it.
"But I think people doing the deals get roped into it by people higher up.
"There's a supply and chain where the drugs start at the top and works their way down.
"It's about trying to find the ringleaders but it must be hard."
Retired engineer Shirley Richardson, 74, added: "I see children as young as 13 on these streets with drugs.
"It's horrible and not a surprise to anyone living around here.
"I have no idea where they bring the drugs in from but people say its from outside of York.
"It's a terrible issue. When I was younger nothing like this happened.
"Kids smoke on the street on their push bikes as if it's normal."
Drugs hub
Among the tourist attractions in York is The Shambles, a narrow street of medieval buildings with overhanging floors which jut out over the cobbles below.
Home to quaint cafes and boutique shops, its believed to have inspired Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter movies.
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York Minster and the ancient city walls are also a major draw for visitors. The cathedral is one of the most magnificent in the world and dates back to the seventh century.
And the Jorvik Viking Centre and National Railway Museum have been popular destinations for school trips from all over the north of England for decades.
But away from its booming tourism industry which fetches almost two billion pounds per year, organised criminal groups are flooding the city with class A drugs.
With multiple links to neighbouring locations like Leeds and Sheffield, York has become the big target for gangs to go about their business.
Just this week, a 'professional' county lines drug dealer was jailed for more than four years for peddling heroin and crack cocaine in the city.
Adam Reynard, 33, ran what police called the 'AJ Line', which was set up to flood the city's streets with Class A drugs, York Crown Court heard.
A few miles away in Acomb to the west of York, pensioner Patricia Mercer says the drug problem is rife.
The former council worker's oldest great-grandchild is 12-years-old and she worries about the exploitation happening to kids his age.
The 77-year-old said: "Kids around here have nothing to do. There's not a thing here for them on the outskirts.
"Because of that they get bored. Youngsters used to go out and meet their mates or go to youth clubs.
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"We know county lines is an issue because young people are getting arrested and there are undercover coppers driving around the streets.
"We know very well what they're looking for.
"I think the drugs are coming from bigger places outside of York then get brought in."
She added: "The young people get groomed to work for these people.
"I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren and it's those who you worry about.
"My eldest great-grandson is 12 and that's around the age you hear of these people targeting.
"You do worry because sometimes it's the quieter ones who might get targeted by criminal groups."
Nightclub dealers
There is a combined student population of 50,000 in the city, home to York University, a member of the Russell Group, as well as York St John University.
It is claimed that drug taking among students is part of the culture, as it is in other areas of the country.
One student told us: "It didn't surprise me when I found out these arrests were made.
"Drug taking is rife among students and you see dealing happening all the time outside on the street."
Another student added: "You hear stories about what goes on, and you see drugs being dealt in nightclub toilets.
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"The dealing definitely happens around here but often people don't even realise it's going on.
"It doesn't surprise me these arrests were made but it might surprise others.
"I don't take drugs myself but it happens in the university culture."
Psychology student Elliot MacInnes, 21, said: "You hear about the county lines happening.
"It might be surprising to other people outside of York that it happens.
"It is a lot more insidious that people realise.
"Often it goes under the radar with how young the kids are that are affected.
"County lines is everywhere across the UK and especially in cities like York.
"There is drug culture with young people at university but it seems to happen all over the country.
"It definitely happens even outside of the city in smaller towns.
"I have heard that young people are becoming targeted more and more."
Criminal suburbs
Two pals Harvey Hunter and Tyler Combs, both 20, say the city is divided by its plush centre and criminal suburbs.
Harvey, a ground worker, said: "I think York is more blended so it becomes a target.
"It's less on top of you and less busy than other places so maybe that's why it is happening.
"It's close to Leeds and Bradford so there are links into the city.
"The older people send younger ones to do jobs for them.
"It can be a lot of money for a younger person so they accept."
Tyler said: "York does have this problem but it's like most places in the country.
"It's their choice if they want to get involved and say yes. Unfortunately it's in their hands but it definitely happens.
"Everywhere you go people are selling this and dealing that.
"York is a quality place to live. It does have its rough places and you do get people who get busted for county lines.
"A lot of people come to York for tourism so maybe they feel they can get away with hiding it."
York in stats
It's no surprise that living up north tends to be cheaper than the south.
However, due to York's popularity, it is slightly more expensive to live in than other northern cities.
The average house price in York is currently £305,000, while average monthly rent is £1,122 as of 2025.
For the UK as a whole, the average house price is £271,000.
In 2023/2024, the Office for National Statistics revealed 79.4 per cent of York's population between the ages of 16 to 64 were in employment.
This left 2.5 per cent of the population - or 2,900 people - unemployed.
In the UK, about 4.4 per cent of the population over the age of 16 is unemployed, latest figures show.
Danny Kilner lives in the Acomb area of York and helps get young people off the street and out of trouble.
The 37-year-old store manager said: "It is a problem in York with youngsters.
"Parents need to be a bit stricter but then again, how do you stop it?
"I have a 12-year-old and I worry for lads his age. I help out at York Acorn Rugby Club and we try to get as many young people in there as possible.
"It helps teach them discipline and gets them off the street.
"It's really important to give them something to do and get them involved with something.
"I help out and we have 20-odd kids from under 9 to under 15.
"They could be the ones to get sucked in so you have to try and help."
Project Titan's lead, DCI Shaun Page from North Yorkshire Police said: "113 arrests in four months is extremely positive, but there are still suspected drugs lines operating across York.
"Using a significant number of investigative strategies the team has worked relentlessly to tackle drug use, drug related crime and criminal exploitation.
"Our commitment continues, working in close partnership with other agencies, including the City of York Council, ensures a holistic, preventative approach, reducing harm to our communities.
"However, I must stress the importance of having the public on our side. Please remain vigilant, if there is something that doesn't look quite right, it probably isn't."
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I've been threatened with guns and knives, all for grafting where I wasn't meant to.' The boy eventually left the gang after the associate who had first recruited him was sent to prison. 'I was running it on my own. But by being in care and moving around a lot, I eventually got moved out of the area which saved me as I handed the phone to the next in line,' he said. Now in his late teens, he is working full-time and living independently. He is supported by Next Stage Youth Development, which provides accommodation for young people in the North West and West Yorkshire. The youngster hopes his input into a training programme being developed by the company will help professionals working with children help other people in his situation. 'I know others who've gone through the same. I've recruited kids myself from being in different areas and across care, where many kids are looking for a chance to make money,' he said. 'If people like teachers or transport police took a closer look and asked questions when kids are tired, withdrawn, showing up with new clothes and no explanation, you can get an idea of what that child might be facing,' he said. 'If we're sitting on a train looking out of place, don't just turn away – think about whether they might be in trouble.' The Child Criminal Exploitation Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, plans to create a new offence of exploiting children for criminal activity, with a maximum sentence of ten years' imprisonment. Paul O'Rourke, managing director of Next Stage Group added: 'This young person's bravery and insight have shaped a training resource that is already changing how professionals understand exploitation.' 'While we welcome the new CCE Bill as a crucial ethical step forward, real change will come from recognising the deeper issues - poverty, coercion and lack of choice that drive young people into these situations. 'Legal reform must go hand-in-hand with proactive, compassionate approaches that divert young people from the criminal system before it takes hold.'
