What cuckooing is

Cuckooing is when a person or group use someone else's home as their base for the production or dealing of drugs. It takes the name from cuckoos who take over the nests of other birds. 

The victims of cuckooing mostly live alone and can be: 

• people living with an addiction 
• people with mental or physical health conditions 
• people with learning disabilities 
• people living in poverty 
• sex workers 
• older people  

Signs of Cuckooing

A property where cuckooing is happening might have:

• more noise and anti-social behaviour around it
• more cars and bikes outside
• frequent new visitors and less visits from the resident's family and friends
• become untidy outside

A victim of cuckooing might:

• not be seen for a while 
• lack access to basic needs, like money and food
• have money, food and clothes stolen
• be gifted things or money in exchange for the use of their home

How to report cuckooing 

In an emergency, always call 999.

You can report cuckooing to:

• your housing officer or housing association if you are a council or housing association tenant
• our Safer Community Team by emailing pollution-regulation@royalgreenwich.gov.uk if you are a private tenant or home owner
• the police on 101 (for non-emergencies)
• Crime Stoppers anonymously