TAYSIDE HEROIN SEIZURES SOAR

The amount of heroin seized by police in Tayside has nearly tripled in
the last year

During 2005-2006, police confiscated around nine kilograms of the
class A drug in 325 seizures.

In the 2006-2007 period, that figure soared to almost 26 kilograms
from 420 seizures.

Seizures of cocaine rocketed from just under one kilogram in 2005-2006
to over 10 kilograms in 2006-2007, while ecstasy seizures went from
1.5 kilograms to a whopping 38.4 kilograms.

Figures for Fife show a slight increase in the total number of class A
drugs impounded by police, with the greatest rise in ecstasy-type seizures.

The figures are contained in a report -- Drug Seizures by Scottish
Police Forces, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 -- published today.

Nationally, drug seizures fell 17% in 2006-2007 from 25,314 to 20,938
- -- but the number of seizures of class A drugs crack, cocaine and
heroin rose.

While politicians claim the figures are the result of good policing,
they also suggest an increase in the prevalence of class A drugs
nationally and across Tayside.

"Drugs and the gangsters who peddle them continue to be a scourge on
our communities," justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said.

"The increase in the number of class A drugs seized shows the police
are taking strong enforcement action against those drugs which cause
the most harm to our communities.

"At the same time, while the number of seizures of Class C drugs is
down, the quantities seized are up, with over 20,000 cannabis plants
seized last year.

"Tackling the drugs supply chain is only one part of a wide-ranging
approach by the forces of law and order to make life difficult for the
dealers.

"The Scottish Police Service is working with national and
international agencies to stem the flow of drugs into the country.

"However, the Scottish Government is clear that enforcement alone will
not stop the misery that drugs inflict on our communities.

"Our new drugs strategy, which will be debated by Parliament tomorrow,
contains a commitment to strengthen existing powers to seize assets
from drug dealers and also maps out a fresh approach to drugs education."

Gordon Meldrum, director general of the Scottish Crime and Drug
Enforcement Agency, said, "These annual figures continue to show the
scale of the problem we face in tackling drugs in our country -- and
the very considerable impact the agency and its partners in the eight
police forces are having on the gangs and networks at the heart of
this callous trade."

Detective Inspector Adrian Robertson of Tayside Police drugs branch
said there were a number of factors behind the local increases.

Police had become more proficient at targeting dealers and the public
had also taken a more active role in informing police about dealing,
he said.

"We would appeal to the public to continue doing that because it's
only through working hand and hand that we will be able to make the
figures for 2007-2008 even better.

"Perhaps, worryingly, we have to accept the fact that there is more
heroin on the streets than ever before."