“DRILL RAP” is fuelling violence and drugs on the streets of south Essex with young people becoming attracted to the videos.

Gang C17 have been banned from large parts of Thurrock and placed under strict limitations - including only owning one phone at a time and not wearing hoods - with police pointing to the fake portrayed lifestyle coming out of the videos.

“Drill” is a type of rap music that originated in south Chicago in America - featuring dark and violent lyrics, and is often used to perpetuate and even escalate gang disputes.

C17 have gained notoriety with their videos, often seen waving weapons and using threatening, expletive-filled lyrics, and in one video are even seen standing in front of an Essex Police van as they rap.

And Essex Police are hugely concerned by youngsters being attracted to the gang - with young teenagers even telling police when they’re stopped in the street “we are part of C17”.

Other areas of Essex, such as Southend, are also suffering from young drug crime with the council launching its #SeeTheSigns campaign to educate parents about what their children may be doing.

Violence surrounds the gangs amid rivalries with other gangs.

Scott Fitzmaurice, of Op Raptor West, said: “We estimate about 40 plus people are members of C17.

“They are our first big urban street gang for Thurrock.

“Because of the drill music and the big following you get a lot of youths and people want to be associated with C17.

“They are filming the videos locally and they are letting youngsters be in the videos.

“You watch the videos and you will see large groups, all with their face’s covered so we cannot identify how many people are involved. The schools and the colleges are reporting to us that their pupils want to be involved with C17.”

The gang following consists mainly of 14 and 15-year-olds, with the youngest just 13.

A series of injunctions have been issued in a landmark case for Essex Police.

Among the conditions is a ban from several areas of Thurrock, including Grays High Street and Lakeside.

It has taken months of analysis to put together.

PC Dan Stevens, of Op Raptor said: “We have not been getting enough to get a meaningful conviction, this has been months of CCTV reviews , patrols, going through the YouTube videos, identifying members in the videos, going through school engagement and information from colleges.

“Obviously we have record of any criminal offences, so it is months and months of collating that to put our case to the county courts.”

And now the force are hoping the public will help with the injunction.

Mr Stevens added: “We have used CCTV and witnesses to build up to the injunction and we will continue that, if we catch someone breaching on CCTV we have the power of arrest.”

Officers hope the public will help provide information about breaches and similar schemes could be used in other parts of the county.

Rap and hoodie ban for gang members: Page 14