Dealers in hard drugs are using despicable tactics to peddle their lethal wares to addicts.

In deprived parts of East Brighton, such as Whitehawk and Moulsecoomb, they move into the homes of addicts and use them as bases for selling drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine.

They are able to do it because the addicts are desperate for drugs and will agree to anything provided they have a supply.

Once established in a house or flat, the dealers can then ensnare other people and feed their addiction.

In some cases police have found young women who have been threatened with violence if they try to evict dealers from their homes.

Although the addicts are likely to end up in court, they are often grateful when the police raid their homes.

There are dozens of dealers operating like cuckoos in East Brighton. A cuckoo is one of the worst species of bird and these dealers are among the worst kind of human.

What they are doing is preying on vulnerable people whose lives have been blighted by addiction and making them worse.

Police need help from neighbours who must notice flats and houses being used for dealing so they can raid the homes.

Once these dealers have been tried and convicted, they deserve to be put in jail for years so they cannot practise their vile trade again.