POLICE FIGHT DRUG GANG THREAT

The drugs industry is now worth billions in the UK The massive scale of
drug smuggling into the UK by criminal gangs has been revealed by police.

The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) said there were more than
900 organised gangs involved in the trade in heroin and cocaine which is
proving "hugely difficult" to control.

About 30 tonnes of heroin and up to 40 tonnes of cocaine were brought into
Britain last year but less than a tenth of these were seized.

But NCIS director-general John Abbott said it was not losing the war on crime.

But he said the public had to help combat the organised gangs.

"Many people consider it to be flash and clever to be involved in this sort
of thing.

"It's not. It damages lives, it damages people.

"The only people to benefit are organised criminal groups who are making a
very large profit from it," he said.

Around 100 million ecstasy tablets were consumed in the UK last year,
according to the annual crime "threat assessment" survey.

Football hooligans

The report found that two-thirds of gangs linked to football hooliganism
were also involved in drug trafficking.

Police believe that travelling football supporters provide a market for
drugs as well as cover through crowds for drug dealers.

Officers also found that where a "safe" supply line for drugs had been
established, the same route was often used for smuggling illegal immigrants.

Analysts estimate that a fifth of gangsters have moved to duty evasion -
through tobacco and alcohol smuggling - and other fraud.

The Exchequer lost out on about UKP 3.8bn last year in lost tobacco revenue
alone.

And two-thirds of those involved in armed robbery were also involved in
drug trafficking.

Mr Abbott said: "We are certainly having a huge difficulty getting on top
of it but I think the effort that's been put in and the figures show we are
having some success."

But he said it was not just about law enforcement but was also about
education and health issues.

Afghanistan source

NCIS estimates that most of the imported heroin originates in Afghanistan,
is processed in eastern Turkey and delivered through central and eastern
Europe.

Much of the drug is handled by UK-based Turkish traffickers.

Other groups increasingly involved in heroin distribution include white
gangs outside the south east and London-based African-Caribbean gangsters.

London provides a base for two-thirds of all the gangs dealing heroin.

But gangs in the north west provide much of the supply for Ireland,
Scotland and Wales.

Albanian gangsters

The report also said ethnic Albanian traffickers were importing heroin and
establishing themselves in western Europe using "extreme violence and
intimidation".

But Albanian gangsters are yet to move into the UK drug market.

And the UK's traditional family-orientated gangs with strict geographical
boundaries are in decline.

Analysts are worried about the growing trend to use multiple drugs,
particularly combinations such as ecstasy or amphetamine with ketamine or
tranquillisers.