Overview
- New Home Office figures report 2,740 county lines shut in 2025, with 1,657 suspected gang leaders charged and 961 knives seized.
- The Government has set more than £34 million for the County Lines Programme this year, including over £28 million for policing.
- A national plan to halve knife crime within ten years is due to launch next Tuesday, with the policing minister pledging sustained pressure on offenders.
- Police leaders cite a recent intensification week that closed 355 lines, led to 2,180 arrests, and safeguarded 1,348 people as proof the crackdown is a priority.
- Officials say the programme has cut hospital stabbing admissions in key areas by 25%, reflecting how shutting phone-based drug lines can reduce violence and child exploitation.