Enfield drug dealer jailed for exploiting vulnerable man

Shyeem Chisholm, 26, was sentenced to five years and seven months at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday, August 11, after admitting to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, heroin, and cannabis.

The case began in May when a recovering Class A drug user in Loughton, Essex, contacted police for help, reporting that a dealer had left a bag of crack cocaine and heroin in his flat.

The dealer had instructed the man to sell the drugs and hold onto the proceeds until collection.

Instead, the victim contacted Essex Police for support.

Officers quickly identified the situation as cuckooing, a form of exploitation where criminals take over the homes of vulnerable individuals to store, prepare, or supply drugs.

Safeguarding measures were put in place, including moving the victim to alternative accommodation.

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."

Operation Raptor detectives began working immediately to identify the dealer.

Within days, they identified Chisholm and traced him to an address in Enfield.

He was arrested on May 11 after officers forced entry to the property.

During the raid, police seized a three-figure sum of cash, a drugs line phone, and lists of names and telephone numbers linked to the dealing operation.

The court heard that Chisholm had returned to drug dealing after his release from prison to repay a debt, marking his third set of convictions for drug dealing offences.

Mr Jones said: "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."

He stressed that police will act in all cases of exploitation.

Mr Jones said: "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."