Police arrest 16-year-old suspected dealer after finding drugs, a flick knife and phones during raids on homes in Northampton

Police arrested a 16-year-old boy found with class A drugs and flick knife and two phones during raids on two Northampton houses on Thursday (April 7).

Officers also safeguarded a woman in her 20s they believed to have been a victim of cuckooing.

Tip-offs from locals led to squad going through doors of two terraced properties in Roe Road, in the Abington area of town.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Andy Blaize, said: “Drug dealers will take advantage of vulnerable people, as well as children, in order to further their enterprises, so it’s really important for us to use these disruption tactics to halt their efforts.

“I am pleased that we found this woman as part of our enforcement activity yesterday and will now work to try and get her the support she needs.

“I would also like to use this opportunity to appeal to people in Northampton to contact us with any suspicious behaviour or suspected drug dealing in your local area.

"Community intelligence is vital in helping us build a picture of the specific issues in an area so we can work to tackle them, so please do get in touch.”

‘Cuckooing’ is a form of crime in which organised gangs take over homes of vulnerable targets to use it as a base. It takes the name from cuckoos who take over the nests of other birds.

Often OCGs target victims who are lonely, isolated, or have addiction issues and can include older people, those suffering from mental or physical health problems, female sex workers, single mums and those living in poverty.