Police officers are confiscating prized designer trainers from drugs suspects and making them go home in unfashionable plimsolls in a bid to “hit offenders hard”.
Wiltshire Police said it is facing a surge in the number of children or vulnerable people being exploited and used as runners for drugs gangs based in major cities.
And in exchange for transporting the substances, the kids are being offered expensive “gifts” such as trainers or designer clothes.
In an attempt to undermine this bribery, police have started seizing the items under the Proceeds of Crime Act and sending them home in prison issue footwear.
“Often, we will see young people arrested, released under investigation while enquiries continue, and then continue to work as runners for county lines drugs gangs,” Detective Constable George Booth said.
“But when we seize their expensive trainers under the Proceeds of Crime Act, we are essentially taking away what they have 'worked for' and we hope it will have an impact.
“For some of these young people, these trainers or designer clothes can be seen as a status symbol, and so losing that is pretty difficult for them to deal with.”
Police said that some of the young people recruited into drugs gangs are naïve to the risks and quickly become trapped and “exploited”.
They said that parents should watch out for their children suddenly having expensive clothes and treat it as a warning sign they could have become embroiled in criminal activity.
Sergeant Georgina Green said: “We'd encourage parents to be aware - is your child suddenly in possession of expensive footwear that they cannot account for? Ask questions and report any suspicions to police as they could be being exploited.
"From the first moment they are recruited into these gangs, I don't think these children know quite what risks they will be facing and by that time, it is too late and they are trapped.”
