Drug Dealers 'Cuckooing' Vulnerable People

Drug dealers are increasingly targeting vulnerable people and taking over their homes to set up shop.

The tactic is known as "cuckooing", after the bird that invades nests, and victims are often left with little choice but to cooperate.

For four months, a tenant of landlord Martin Holland was preyed upon in his flat in Ipswich.

The man has mental health problems and his vulnerability made him an easy target.

"He was having to go back to a flat that was basically full of people dealing drugs," said Mr Holland.

"On a couple of occasions the police actually did do raids on the flat and a dozen or so people were in the flat, none of whom were really proper friends of his.

"They were basically dealing drugs from here... and how could that be any worse for someone?"

Mr Holland repeatedly contacted the authorities and eventually the man was re-housed.

But it is likely the dealers have simply found a new victim's home to control.

Those struggling with their own addictions are also targets.

Simon Cobb, a senior social worker at the Ipswich charity the Iceni Project, has seen the problem increase over the past two years.

"It's a growing problem and for families it's absolutely devastating," he said.

"We've had one girl, four foot nothing, she's sitting at home with her two toddlers. She's an ex-user trying to stay clean.

"An old friend has knocked on the door and said, 'Can I come in and use the phone?' She has said, 'Course you can', and two huge guys have come in with her and taken over the flat for two weeks."

When the police raided the property, they found crack pipes under the high chair.

The dealers are often in their teens and sent to towns like Ipswich by drug bosses in London.

Superintendent Louisa Pepper says Suffolk Police are "relentlessly pursuing them".

"If they are coming here to deal drugs then we will deal with them and you will see from the number of individuals going through the courts we have had a lot of success.

"We are using innovative ways to apply legislation to make sure we can hold individuals who have interesting ways of concealing drugs."

The legislation means police can hold a suspect for long enough to "pass" any wraps that they have hidden inside themselves.

They are also working with agencies across the town to intervene and help those being targeted.

But it is not just the vulnerable person who is affected.

David and Janis Rinder have experienced what it is like to live next door to such a drug den in Ipswich.

This month, Tristian Folkes, 25, from Park Avenue in London, was jailed for 54 months for intent to supply heroin and cocaine from their neighbour's house.

The tenant, an addict, was also jailed.

"(It was) absolutely horrendous - frightening. So much traffic going in and out... noise... everything," said Mr Rinder.

Ipswich is certainly not the only place being targeted. It is the same in towns and cities across Britain.

All the dealers need is someone too vulnerable to say no.