Men arrested after police safeguard vulnerable man being exploited by drug dealers

Two men are in police custody after officers helped to safeguard a vulnerable man who was being exploited by drug dealers in Gloucester.

Officers from the Vanguard team executed a warrant yesterday (Wednesday 12 June) following a lengthy investigation into the exploitation of a man by two other men.

Enquiries had shown that the men had taken over the victim's address to run a drugs line from it as a base - this is known as 'cuckooing'.

Warrants were executed at a number of linked addresses which aimed to safeguard the victim, locate the other two men and gather evidence of drug dealing.

A 31-year-old man from Gloucester was arrested on suspicion of the supply of class A drugs and modern day slavery offences after officers found several quantities of drugs suggesting that dealing was taking place from the victim's address.

A 36-year-old man, also from Gloucester, was arrested on suspicion of the supply of class A drugs after officers observed what they believed to be a drug deal taking place and found drugs and a phone hidden within his socks.

Both men remain in police custody while enquiries continue. The vulnerable man is now being safeguarded.

Anyone who has information about drug dealing or suspicious activity in the area is asked to please contact your local team by completing the following form: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/a/your-area/local-policing-team-contact/contact-your-local-policing-team

Alternatively you can call police on 101 or give information anonymously to the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/