One police force hauled in an 11-year-old boy, still young enough to be at primary school, for questioning on suspicion of being involved in supplying drugs. Many of the children are held on suspicion of dealing Class A drugs such as heroin and cocaine, rather than drugs such as cannabis. It is believed many of these youngsters are being exploited by sophisticated and ruthless county lines criminal gangs, which get children to go out into the suburbs and rural towns to expand their drugs empires while keeping themselves at arms’ length from the law. Children, who are often already vulnerable and frequently in care, are used because they look less suspicious and if they are caught the penalties are much less severe. The survey of police forces in England and Wales found 1,837 under-17s were caught last year for dealing in drugs or having such large quantities that they were suspected of being dealers.

Only 33 of the 44 forces responded to Freedom of Information Act requests, meaning the true total is predicted to be 2,449 youngsters.

The figure is a rise of 25 percent from the comparable figure for the previous year of 1,964.

One aged London saw the greatest number arrested, with 442 children hauled in for being suspected dealers. Among those arrested was a 12-year-old boy for possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

The Met also arrested two 13-year-old boys for possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Norfolk police arrested an 11-year-old boy on suspicion of boy was dealing Class B drugs and a 13-year old for dealing Class A.

Among the 63 children in South Wales arrested on suspicion of being dealers was a 12-year-old girl allegedly involved in supplying Class A drugs.

Anastasia de Waal, deputy director at the think tank Civitas, said: “A major concern here is the ruthless exploitation of vulnerable youngsters. By preying on children like this, criminals are not only pushing up drug crime, they’re snatching childhoods – and futures just 11 – in the process. To turn this trend around, it’s vital that the law comes down heavily on adults using under-18s to engage in criminal acts.”

Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan said: “These figures are alarming but, unfortunately, not surprising.

Our support services are seeing a shocking trend of child criminal exploitation, particularly through county lines activity, where children are coerced or manipulated by organised gangs.

“Children may be forced to carry weapons and drugs, subjected to violence and sexual abuse, go missing from home and be found in other parts of the country.”

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