A boy who was recruited by a vicious county line drugs gang at the age of just nine today reveals his harrowing story.
The youngster, who lives in north-west England but asked to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals, said he was persuaded into joining the gang by an older member he considered his 'best mate'.
At points, they made £2,000 a day smuggling cocaine and cannabis on trains using child couriers, with pupils in school uniform targeted for recruitment because they were considered less suspicious.
The boy tells MailOnline of being repeatedly threatened with guns and knives by rivals and seeing a friend being kidnapped.
Yet, given his age, he says he never realised he was being exploited until he managed to leave the gang after eight years.
