Man in 20s arrested in Bolton on suspicion of supplying class A drugs and cuckooing as officers shut down suspect county line

A man in his 20s received an early morning wakeup call today (Monday 24 February), as officers from our County Lines Team executed a warrant at an address in Bolton. 

He was arrested on suspicion of being concerned with the supply of a Class A substance and cuckooing. 

Officers carried out a search of the address and seized a mobile phone believed to be used as a drugs line. 

Cuckooing is the term used when criminals take over the home of a vulnerable person is taken in order to use it to deal, store or take drugs, and other criminal activity. The practice is associated with county lines drug trafficking.   

Often criminals and organised crime gangs (OCGs) target people who are lonely, isolated, or have addiction issues. It's common for OCGs to use a property for a short amount of time, moving address frequently to reduce the chance of being caught. 

There are several signs to look out for that may indicate someone is a victim of cuckooing: 

• frequent visitors at unsociable hours 

• changes in your neighbour’s daily routine 

• unusual smells coming from a property 

• suspicious or unfamiliar vehicles outside an address 
• your neighbour may look dishevelled or seem anxious 

This illegal exploitative practice will be discussed in Parliament this week as one of two new offences from the government’s flagship Crime and Policing Bill, making cuckooing illegal under the introduction of a new law. 

Our County Lines Team investigate suspected drugs lines operating across Greater Manchester using overt and covert methods, including surveillance and other investigative work. If you suspect there is a drugs line operating in your area or that someone is being cuckooed, our officers take this seriously and will act on intelligence. 

Since September 2022, our County Lines Team have made approximately 366 arrests with 304 charges, seized around 108kg of class A and class B drugs, and closed around 397 Type 1 county drugs lines.

Police Constable Andrew Shaw, from GMP’s County Lines Team, said: “We've closed down a suspected drugs line in Bolton this morning, which we believe may have been exploiting vulnerable people and taking over their own home.  

“Our dedicated county lines team has closed down 160 drugs lines in the last year and continues to pursue suspects and protect victims. 

“Drugs blight communities; from addiction to the exploitation of vulnerable people, illicit substances cause damage across Greater Manchester. 

“We are unrelenting in our pursuit of organised criminals, and we will continue to act swiftly on intelligence we receive and proactively pursue offenders. 

“If you have any concerns about drug supply or county lines operating in your area or feel like you have witnessed something suspicious, please do get in touch with us. You can report information to the police on 101, via gmp.police.uk, or by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”