‘It’s like working away for two weeks’: The harms associated with young drug dealers commuting from a saturated London drug market

This paper discusses some new developments
in British illicit drug markets: the
commuting of London-based gang members to sell
drugs in other British towns, or in
gang member's parlance: 'working the country
lines'. This is concerning for several
reasons, not least because children and young people may be running away from home
and putting themselves at significant risk
by dealing drugs; includi
ng involvement in the
distribution of drugs from 'crack houses'.
This paper hypothesises that the increased
saturation of London drug markets is increas
ing the chances of drug dealers commuting
from their homes which in turn raises pa
rticular harms, including conflict with
established dealers in other cities as well as
child welfare issues. The paper concludes
with some policy and research recommendations.