County lines dealer jailed after victim speaks out
A victim of cuckooing contacted Essex Police to ask for help after a repeat drug dealer tried to use him and his home to supply drugs
Last updated 20th Aug 2026
A victim of cuckooing contacted Essex Police to ask for help after a repeat drug dealer tried to use him and his home to supply drugs.
Shyeem Chisholm, 26, was jailed for five years and seven months.
The sentence followed his admission to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis.
Essex Police's 'Operation Raptor', launched an investigation after receiving a call from a vulnerable man in May this year.
The man, a recovering Class A drug user, told the force that a drug dealer had visited his flat in Loughton and left behind a bag containing wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.
He said the dealer had instructed him to sell the drugs and hold onto the profits until they were collected.
The man then contacted Essex Police and asked for help.
Officers say he had become the victim of cuckooing, a form of exploitation commonly used by county lines drug dealers
Cuckooing sees criminals take over the homes of vulnerable people and use them as bases to store, prepare or supply drugs, while distancing themselves from the risks associated with street dealing.
Officers moved the victim to alternative accommodation, putting measures in place to protect him from further harm.
Arrests:
Enquiries identified the suspect as Chisholm, and on 11 May officers had traced him to an address in Enfield.
Officers forced entry to the property and arrested him.
During the operation they seized a three-figure sum of cash, a drugs line phone and lists containing names and telephone numbers linked to the dealing operation.
The court heard Chisholm had returned to drug dealing following his release from prison in order to repay a debt.
This was his third set of convictions for drug dealing offences.
He was sentenced after admitting offences relating to the supply of crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis.
Detective Inspector Mark Jones, of Operation Raptor, said:
"Cuckooing is a particularly harmful form of exploitation where organised criminals target vulnerable people and take over their homes for drug dealing.
"In this case, the victim showed real courage by contacting us and asking for help rather than doing what he had been instructed to do.
"As soon as we became aware of what was happening, we put safeguarding measures in place to protect him and launched an investigation to identify the offender responsible.
"Within days, our officers had tracked Chisholm down, arrested him and secured vital evidence linking him to the supply of crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis.
"This case shows that if you are being exploited by drug dealers, or know somebody who is, we will listen, we will safeguard you and we will take action against those responsible."