Could you spot a case
COULD you spot the signs that a gang has taken over a home on your street to sell drugs?
Dyfed-powys Police is highlighting the signs and impact of a crime known as cuckooing as part of its Intact campaign after dealing with 31 cases in the past five months.
Cuckooing is the exploitation of vulnerable people – most often drug users – by criminals who use their homes as a base, gaining access through intimidation of the victim or in exchange for drugs.
It is a practice closely linked with county lines operations where organised crime gangs (OCGS) travel to different parts of the country to sell drugs, often using vulnerable youngsters as mules and dealers.
Detective chief inspector Andy Cotterell said: “We recognise county lines as a serious threat, and we highlight successful warrants and prosecutions wherever possible to assure our communities that we are taking action to combat this activity.
“However, we don’t believe there is a great deal of awareness around the cuckooing aspect of county lines, what it involves and the impact it can have on a victim and the wider community.
“We are hoping to educate people about the signs of cuckooing and increase people’s confidence to report unusual behaviour they believe could be linked to drugs supply.”
Cuckooing involves a drugs runner being sent to a particular area by an organised gang with supplies of illegal substances to last a number of days.
Officers explain that the runner is often a young person who is also taken advantage of by the gang.
Once a runner is identified, contact is made with someone in the area being targeted who will have a list of local drug users and addresses.
This middle person will find a property the runner can operate out of while they are in that area.
DCI Cotterell explained: “What we find with the