Primary school-aged children could be coaxed into gangs as they try to support their cash-strapped parents, experts have warned.
With inflation rates rising and fears of austerity abound, many families will be feeling the strain this winter.
This could lead to youngsters trying to bring in funds to help their parents and looking to drug-related activity as a quick way of raising cash.
A strategy paper by the National Police Chiefs’ Council released last month warned forces fear more children will be drawn into the world of crime and drugs because of the economic turmoil.
Junior Smart is an ex-offender who was sentenced to 12 years in prison due to a serious drug offence as a teenager.
He has gone on to be the founder and business development manager of St Giles Trust's SOS project which covers Norwich.
Mr Smart said: "We should be ashamed as one of the richest and most developed countries in the world having vulnerable people struggling to put the heating on and afford food.
"It's having a massive knock-on effect on crime. The reasons behind drug taking are an escape from daily pressures.
"For drug dealing, it comes down to looking at ways of making money."
The project founder is currently working with a family which is struggling to find ways to find an extra £130 a month to cover their rising energy bills.
Mr Smart said: "Kids are realising their parents can't heat their homes and food is not coming easy so they are looking to criminal ways of making money."
But Norfolk Constabulary has pointed out its recent performance on erasing county lines from the city has been impressive, and has been lauded by the attorney general for its work.
Detective sergeant Robin Windsor-Waite from the county lines team said there has been around 80pc reduction in county lines activity with more than 60 lines closed in the Norwich area.
This included around 90 people who control the lines from London being rooted out.
As a result, Det. Insp. Windsor-Waite is "confident" Norfolk Constabulary can keep on top of the situation this winter.
He said: "Nationally, there is probably a concern when times get tough as crime does tend to pick up.
"But certainly in Norwich we have got a fantastic grip on county lines and it has been improving massively over the last three years.
"I have no particular concerns that it will impact Norwich."
County lines involves drugs being transported from urban areas to rural regions such as Norfolk, often using children or vulnerable adults.
Retired Scotland Yard detective Steve Gaskin, who lives on the outskirts of Norwich, believes primary school age children are at risk of exploitation in the future.
He said: "The age of criminal responsibility is 10. So if they are used as mules at that tender age they can't be prosecuted.
"It is almost a safety valve for those who can be prosecuted. That is the reality."
The Paddington-born detective knows all about dealing with serious crime having been involved with the Levi Bellfield case in the early noughties in south-west London and Surrey.
The expert said: "As a criminologist the first reason for crime is to do with socio-economic struggle. It is as simple as that.
"If you look at a family set-up and areas of deprivation, as soon as as you get a financial squeeze the crime rate will go up.
"It stands to reason that if people have less money in their pocket then they will look at different ways to replace that money."
Andy Cooke, His Majesty's national inspector of constabulary, warned forces in May that the cost of living crisis will lead to rising crime.
And Mr Gaskin added: "The reasons why people resort to drugs are recreational, stress and leisure. People can resort to it to run away from the realities of life.
"Market opportunities for drug dealers could increase. I can't see how that would decrease this winter."
There were a total of 175 arrests in connection with county lines across Norwich in 2021 according to police data.
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