Cambridge Man Cuckooed By Drug Dealer

A drug dealer who ‘cuckooed’ a man to sell class A drugs from his home has been jailed.

Blerim Hanku claimed his name was ‘Dave’ when he moved himself into a vulnerable man’s home in Trumpington and used it as a base for dealing drugs.

Police were alerted to suspicious activity taking place at the house in March 2022 and a search of the room Hanku was sleeping in revealed a block of suspected class A drugs, scales, deal bags and Hanku’s passport.

Further enquiries took officers to an address in Kingston Street, Cambridge, where they found more white powder and further identity documents.

Hanku was spotted in nearby Malvern Road and arrested, attempting to discard further packets of white powder.

Police seized cocaine worth more than £3,670 and other drug paraphernalia including a tick sheet.

At Cambridge Crown Court, Hanku, 29, of no fixed abode, was jailed for three years and seven months after pleading guilty to three counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Detective Constable Sarah Longbottom, who investigated, said: “Cuckooing is a term used to define a type of exploitation by drug dealers who take advantage of a person by taking over and using their home to store, sell or use drugs. Often the victims have poor mental health, are drug or alcohol users or live alone.

“The victim in this case was and is still fearful of his life. We acted on the information promptly to ensure Hanku was no longer a threat to him or others."