The UK town dubbed ‘most dangerous’ in Britain – and it’s not where you think

A historic UK town has been transformed into one of the "most dangerous" in the UK. While it may seem perfect on the surface, the town is struggling with a bubbling undercurrent of serious crime that has left locals living in fear.

Bodmin, in Cornwall, is a popular holiday spot for families due to its iconic jail-turned museum, steam railway, stunning moor and close proximity to other attractions in the county. However, county line drug dealers have recently moved into the town, using it as a base to store and sell illegal substances. According to the latest crime data, Bodmin has an overall crime rate of 86 crimes per 1,000. This is 56% higher than the county average and around 20% higher than the national average of a small town of 68%.

As reported by The Sun, locals are now living in fear with the smell of marijuana and the site of needles left in the undergrowth becoming increasingly common in Bodmin. Some residents are even too scared to leave their home after dark.

Heather Dunn moved to Bodmin 40 years ago. The 70-year-old said it was a "fabulous town" at the time but has suffered with drug crime in recent years.

The beauty practicioner said: "I live nearby in a block of flats where a known drug dealer was living, and there was often drug paraphernalia and used needles thrown in a row of hedges outside." She added: "I wouldn’t come out at night-time; there are a lot of people hanging around doing goodness knows what."

Other residents have reported issues in the town during daylight hours. They often see people smoking marijuana in public in the town centre, with one person claiming you could "get high walking down the street".

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Sandra Vigus, an 81-year-old grandmother, said she is concerned for the future generation growing up in Bodmin. She added that it's "worrying" to see the scale of people currently involved in the drug trade in the town.

In January, police shut down two homes in the town that were housing vulnerable people who have been "cuckooed". This involves drug dealers taking over a vulnerable person's home and using it for gain.

Another cuckoeed home was raided last September after being targeted by county lines gangs. Meanwhile, two other properties were shut down in 2024.

Back in 2023, police raided an industrial sized cannabis factory and seized 4,000 plants worth an estimated £2million. Four Albanian nationals were convicted of producing the drug and were handed two-year suspended sentenced.

One local told The Sun that the town is becoming overrun with drugs. She said there are a number of "drug dens" across the area and believes the "more raids the police do, the better".

Police Chief Inspector Matt Setchell of Devon and Cornwall Police said: "We know that drug crime is a concern across our communities and is one that can cause so much harm. That’s why we are committed to keeping the public safe by reducing offending and deterring this type of criminal activity in our towns.

"Our officers continue to carry out planned activity such as warrants, closure orders, targeted operations and investigations to put offenders before the courts. We’ve had some positive successes recently as part of our efforts to disrupt drug supply, and this focus will continue."

He added: "I’d also like to encourage the public to come forward and report information about suspected drug dealing in Bodmin. Their information is vital and we rely on reports from our community to plan out our activity and patrols to further disrupt crime on our streets, reduce the anti-social behaviour associated with drug dealing and/or use, and to protect vulnerable people who are exploited and drawn into the supply of illegal drugs.

"Information can be reported directly to us, or anonymously through independent charity Crimestoppers."