A drug dealer caught "cuckooing" vulnerable people in three homes across Huntingdonshire was linked to 101 wraps of cocaine.

Dominic Braima was found by police in three different homes in St Neots and Huntingdon, between March 8 and April 16, with no legitimate reason to be there.

The 20-year-old, of Southfields Green, Gravesend, was charged in May after officers stopped him while on patrol in Huntingdon and found him with three mobile phones which had been used to send bulk messages offering class A drugs.

After his arrest, officers searched the area and found an additional 101 wraps of crack cocaine.

At Cambridge Crown Court yesterday (September 16), Braima was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. He must complete 120 hours unpaid work.

Detective Constable Ahsan Anderson said: “We found no legitimate reason for him to be in these houses and believe he was ‘cuckooing’ – tricking or coercing the occupant into letting a drug dealer stay in their home.

“It’s a despicable practice which regularly involved preying on people with addictions, at times with threatening behaviour or intimidation.

“The public play an extremely important role in our efforts to disrupt county lines activity and we urge people to report suspicious activity to us.”

For further information about cuckooing and to report it, visit https://bit.ly/3CijyWU