'I was a prisoner in my home': Drug gangs 'cuckooing' hundreds of homes a week, police warn

Law enforcement agencies across the United Kingdom are raising alarms about a criminal practice known as 'cuckooing,' in which drug trafficking organizations forcibly occupy residential properties to conduct their operations. Police estimates suggest that hundreds, and potentially thousands, of homes fall victim to this takeover tactic on a weekly basis.

Victims of cuckooing often find themselves trapped in their own residences, unable to leave or regain control as gangs use the properties as bases for distributing narcotics. The practice leaves homeowners and residents vulnerable, fearful, and effectively imprisoned within their own living spaces while criminal enterprises exploit their addresses for illicit activities.

This criminal trend represents a significant threat to public safety and housing security, affecting vulnerable populations and enabling large-scale drug distribution networks across the country.