TEENAGERS from across the South West are being told to ‘Spot the signs’ of child exploitation amid the growing threat of county lines in a targeted TikTok and snapchat advertising campaign.

The adverts highlight what child criminal exploitation looks like, how to spot the signs and where to get help and support.

Links to regional services and helplines will ensure that anyone affected can access help quickly and safely.

Recognising that these crimes do not stop at borders, Wiltshire, Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset and Gloucestershire police forces alongside their respective OPCCs, have combined resources to take a bold stand against exploitation.

Criminal gangs are increasingly targeting children to transport drugs and cash across county boundaries, using coercion, intimidation and violence.

This exploitation can have devastating consequences for young people and their families.

It is the first time that the South West region has launched a coordinated awareness campaign on TikTok and Snapchat, designed to reach young people where they spend much of their time – online.

The campaign features short, impactful videos designed specifically for TikTok and Snapchat, using relatable language and visuals to resonate with young audiences.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: ‘We continue to work across the five forces in the South West to make our area hostile to drug dealers and to those who coerce or exploit our children.

‘Drug dealers don’t care that it will put them at risk of serious harm, arrest or worse.

‘This important campaign will help inform those around our children, who may have been coerced into committing a crime recognise the signs and encourage them to get help.

‘I also urge parents to be vigilant and don’t be afraid to have a frank conversation with your children about how to spot the dangers of exploitation and to look out for their friends and classmates.

‘Finally, if you have any information relating to children being involved in this, please report it to police on 101, or call 999 if someone is in immediate danger’.

Any child can be a victim of child criminal exploitation. If you spot any of the following signs within yourself or a friend, you/they could be in danger:

For more information on child criminal exploitation, please visit Child Criminal Exploitation