A MAN was arrested after officers conducted a welfare check at a house and found drugs and evidence of cuckooing.

Cuckooing is when criminal gangs target vulnerable people in homes for the use of drug dealing.

Four men were found in the house in Bournemouth, three of whom were youths.

All individuals were detained while officers carried out a stop search.

Two knives and an amount of cannabis were found and seized.

A spokesperson for Bournemouth Police said: “One male was arrested for having an offensive weapon in a private place and for possession of class B drugs.

“One male was issued a community resolution, and two youths were returned home to their parents.

“We will continue to conduct our safe and well checks on the resident and work with partnership agencies to ensure the ongoing safeguarding of the resident and that the right support is put into place.

“Please continue to report incidents to us. Drugs and knives have no place in our community, we will continue to work relentlessly in our pursuit of criminality around this to protect those who are at risk of exploitation.”

The new crackdown measures are part of Operation Sceptre, an initiative to prevent knife crime.