CLOSURE orders have been secured against two Coventry properties to protect people in the city from cuckooing.
The buildings, in Adelaide Street and Barras Green, were showing early signs of cuckooing, in which criminals exploit vulnerable people and use their homes for illegal activity.
The orders, which were secured by officers from the Coventry Problem Solving Team, prevent anyone not named in them from entering the building.
A warrant was carried out at the Adelaide Street address earlier this month after intelligence confirmed it was being used as a drug-dealing base.
Class B drugs were recovered as a result of the warrant.
Neighbours had complained about loud noise and anti-social behaviour at the Barras Green address, leading to officers visiting the premises where they found evidence of drug-taking inside.
Insp Dave Langston, from the Coventry Gangs team, said: “This was an extremely positive piece of proactive work to protect two vulnerable people from becoming victims of cuckooing.
“These orders will hopefully be the first step in safeguarding these people.”
He also urged anyone who thinks cuckooing drug use and anti-social behaviour is taking place in their area to visit www.west-midlands.police.uk/your-options/drug-taking-and-dealing and report it.
