Drug gangs take over homes in London 'cuckooing' tactic

Organised drug gangs are increasingly moving their operations into the homes of vulnerable individuals across London, a practice officially identified and named 'cuckooing'. This tactic sees criminals take over properties, often those belonging to drug users or groomed individuals, to use as bases for dealing illicit substances.

Evolution of the 'trap house'

The 'trap house', a slang term for a drug dealing base, has evolved significantly over the past 30 years. While older models involved derelict properties, drug gangs now prefer to operate from a hidden, countrywide network of vulnerable people's homes. This shift began in the 1990s with the rise of professionalised drug dealing crews who leveraged mobile phones to expand their reach and arrange transactions in less visible locations.

Gangs originating from major cities, including London, have fanned out across the country, establishing operations in smaller towns and cities. They often target drug users and young women who have been groomed by older gang members. In 2008, Suffolk Constabulary reported that over a third of Class A drug dealers arrested in their area were under 21 and predominantly from London. This marked a departure from earlier periods when most dealers in smaller towns were older, addicted users who were less professionalised than the big city gangs.

Identifying the tactic

Community safety teams in London were the first to identify and name this tactic 'cuckooing' in 2005, after rescuing 80 tenants. The National Crime Agency acknowledged 'cuckooing' as part of an emerging criminal business model in a 2015 intelligence assessment, dubbing the wider phenomenon of young people being sent by gangs to sell drugs out of town as 'county lines'.

The reality for those involved in cuckooing is often bleak. Young people involved in selling drugs may earn less than expected and live in constant fear of police or rival gangs. The entire system relies on grooming and exploitation, with victims often denigrated in rap lyrics, particularly drill music, which has been associated with glamourising the rise of the British trap house.

A personal account

One account details the experience of Duncan, a long-term heroin user who had managed his addiction with methadone and maintained a relatively stable life. He worked as a painter and decorator, played in a band that toured the US, and was a dedicated father. In 2013, he moved to a ground-floor studio apartment in a north-east London council estate. By 2015, his estate had become neglected, and a local teenage drug gang began using the stairwell for dealing. Within a year, Duncan's home was being used as the gang's drug dealing base.