This article employs a range of sources to critically explore the role of children and young people in county lines drug dealing, the potential harms they are exposed to and the difficulties of protecting them. As county lines centre upon the movement and exploitation of vulnerable peoples, we utilise the human trafficking literature for further insights into the dynamics of county lines and current policy responses. The article concludes by discussing the challenges of safeguarding young people, particularly that over-worked and under-resourced frontline practitioners can experience difficulties identifying the vulnerability of young people caught up in county lines, particularly beneath their tough exteriors.

中文翻译：

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“弱势”儿童出国：儿童和年轻人参与县线毒品交易

本文采用一系列来源批判性地探讨儿童和青少年在县级毒品交易中的作用、他们面临的潜在危害以及保护他们的困难。由于县界以弱势人群的流动和剥削为中心，我们利用人口贩运文献进一步深入了解县界的动态和当前的政策响应。文章最后讨论了保护年轻人的挑战，特别是过度工作和资源不足的一线从业者可能难以识别被困在县线中的年轻人的脆弱性，尤其是在他们强硬的外表之下。