'I was a prisoner in my home': Drug gangs 'cuckooing' hundreds of homes a week, police warn
UK police report a surge in 'cuckooing,' where drug gangs forcibly take over the homes of vulnerable individuals to conduct illegal activities. The government plans to make this a specific criminal offense by the end of the year to combat the exploitation of victims.
Why it matters
It highlights a growing, hidden form of criminal exploitation that targets the most vulnerable members of society, necessitating new legal frameworks for protection.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Sima Kotecha , Senior UK correspondent , Jade Thompson and Katie Inman BBC A drug dealer took over Jackie s home. Now she helps other victims of so-called cuckooing Hundreds, if not thousands, of people s homes are being taken over by criminals every week in the UK, usually to store and deal drugs, police chiefs have told the BBC.
The article reports on police data and government policy without taking a partisan stance.
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