A 17-year-old boy has been arrested
A general image of a Merseyside Police officer (Image: Merseyside Police)
A significant amount of drugs and cash were found at a house in Everton during a raid. Officers from EVOLVE Everton-Vauxhall, one of Merseyside’s four Clear, Hold, Build areas, were on plain clothes patrol on Whitefield Road in the early hours of Saturday (October 25) when they spotted a male on an e-bike ‘acting suspiciously’.
Following a police chase officers found the boy in a nearby house. Police searched the address and uncovered a large amount of suspected crack-cocaine, heroin and cannabis, around £2,000 and drug supply paraphernalia.
The owner of the property has been identified as a vulnerable person and safeguarding measures have been put in place, police said.
A 17-year-old boy from Everton was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs and possession of criminal property.
He was taken to a police station for questioning and has been released under investigation.
Chief Inspector Andrew Fielding, one of the senior officers involved in EVOLVE Everton-Vauxhall, said: “Criminals who take over the homes of vulnerable people in a practice known as cuckooing cause real harm, not just to individuals but to whole neighbourhoods.
“Cuckooing is a cruel tactic used by drug dealers to hide their activity behind the door of someone vulnerable.
“Exploitation has no place in our communities and we will not tolerate it.
“Thanks to the action of our officers we have been able to safeguard this vulnerable occupant and disrupt the supply of drugs.”
Chf Insp Fielding added: “We urge people to keep telling us information about those involved in criminal activity.
“Every piece of information helps us protect the vulnerable, target those who seek to exploit them and bring them to justice.
“If you suspect someone is being exploited, please come forward – your call could make all the difference.”
Anyone with information on drug crime can contact Merseyside Police social media desk via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. You can also report information via our website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or call 101.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: https://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/get-involved/campaigns/give-information-100-anonymously-about-organised-crime-in-merseyside
How to spot the signs of cuckooing
Ask yourself:
Is there increased antisocial behaviour, including noise disturbances and littering?
Are more people entering and leaving the property than normal?
Are there signs of drug use?
Is there damage to the property such as broken doors and windows, or blacked out windows?
Are there people in the property that seem out of place, such as people with non-local accents or school-aged youths?
Is there an increase in bikes and cars parked outside?
Are there signs of wealth that seem out of place?
Has your neighbour’s general wellbeing and mental health declined?
Who is targeted?
The following individuals are sometimes targeted for cuckooing:
• Those who suffer from drug and/or alcohol addiction
• Those who are struggling financially
• The elderly
• People with mental health issues
• Individuals with learning disabilities
How can you help?
Merseyside Police will support anyone who is a victim of cuckooing and work with partners to safeguard victims and identify the criminals.
If you know of someone who is a victim, there are a variety of ways you can get in contact:
- Call 101 (in an emergency, if a crime is in progress or there is a threat to live, always call 999) Please mention ‘Operation Trespass’ and ‘Cuckooing’ when you call
- Report online via the ‘Report a crime’ page
- Or, if you would like to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit give information anonymously.