PREMIER GIVES POLICE NEW POWERS

NSW police now had greater powers to arrest drug house lookouts in their
fight against crime, Premier Bob Carr said today.

They also had more power to arrest anyone entering or leaving a suspected
drug house along with owners or occupants who knowingly allowed their
property to be used as such, Mr Carr said in south-west suburban Cabramatta.

The new laws were aimed at shutting down such premises and also included
powers to move on people believed to be "go-betweens" or who were trying to
arrange drug deals, the Premier said.

"These new laws mean drug dealers will no longer be able to avoid
prosecution by disposing of drugs before police can get at them," Mr Carr said.

The new laws are part of the state government's $18.8 million strategy to
tackle Cabramatta's drug problem, released today.

"The Cabramatta Anti-Drug Strategy is an all-out effort to return
Cabramatta to the people who live and work there," Mr Carr said.