This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Catch the dealers - cut the use
05/12/2001
First Minister today outlined the two objectives in the
Executive's anti-drugs strategy - catch the dealers and cut
the use.
Speaking during a visit to the Scottish Drug Enforcement
Agency in Paisley, Mr McConnell said:
"We want to catch the dealers and we want to cut the use
of drugs.
"Everyone must work together to stamp out the menace of
drugs in our communities. There must be no hiding place for
those who peddle drugs to our vulnerable children and young
people.
"But we must also combine our tough drug enforcement
policies with measures to break the need for drugs through
education, prevention and by closing the opportunity gap
which causes too many of our young people to fall into the
despair of drug dependency."
Mr McConnell, who was given a tour of the agency's
headquarters by SDEA director, Jim Orr, added:
"Thanks to the SDEA, drug enforcement in Scotland is now
being co-ordinated in an unprecedented fashion, with
dedicated resources and dedicated officers. These efforts
are already reaping rewards with more drugs being seized,
arrests made and criminal gangs destroyed.
"I am pleased to be able to come here today and meet
those who are at the forefront of the fight against drugs
and battling to make our streets safer places for
everyone.
"We must protect our young people from the evils of
drugs and prevent future generations being caught up in the
misery of addiction and the downward spiral into a life of
crime and poverty.
"I want all our children - regardless of their
background - to have the same opportunities in life; the
same chance to make something of themselves and to enjoy a
successful drug-free future. We must all work together to
ensure that we deliver this for our young people - they
deserve nothing less."
Mr McConnell was joined on the visit by new Deputy
Justice Minister
Richard Simpson. The Minister had participated in a drug
raid by Central Scotland Police in the morning which netted
a haul of heroin and cannabis resin, and a supply list.
Dr Simpson said:
"I saw for myself the effectiveness of police action on
drugs during the raid this morning - the second I have been
on in less than six months.
"The police are now stepping up their efforts to catch
the dealers and are working much more closely with other
groups committed to tackling drugs in local communities. I
know this is what the public wants to see and I will be
looking to encourage more of it in my new role."
During his visit, the First Minister met those who had
been attending the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency's
quarterly Scottish Strategic Tasking and Co-ordination
Group meeting. This group aims to enhance the co-ordinated
approach by all Scottish police forces and law enforcement
agencies to the investigation of drug trafficking and other
serious and organised crime. Among those attending were
officers from all Scottish police forces, the head of the
National Criminal Intelligence Service's Scottish Office,
Customs and Excise, the National Ports Co-ordinator and
representatives from the National Crime Squad and British
Transport Police.
The Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency was created in June
2000 to co-ordinate all intelligence and operational
elements of drug enforcement
The SDEA aims to reduce availability of drugs in
Scotland, target and smash organised drug crime, arrest
drug suppliers and traffickers and help Scottish police
forces in the detection of drug-related crime. It also aims
to maximise the use of intelligence on drugs and other
organised crime and enhance and co-ordinate police
involvement in wider drug policies.
Since the SDEA came into operation informally in April
2000, £30 million of drugs have been seized in joint
operations, over 240 arrests have been made and 90 criminal
gangs dismantled or disrupted.