COURT MOVE TO CLOSE CAFE

The NSW Police Service will ask the Supreme Court to declare Kings
Cross's Amsterdam Cafe a "disorderly house" after The Daily Telegraph
revealed it was dealing drugs. The application to the court, expected
to be lodged tomorrow, comes after the NSW Crown Solicitor decided
police had enough evidence to proceed against the cafe.

Police Minister Paul Whelan told The Daily Telegraph the Government
would be seeking "expedition" of the matter in a bid to stop the
dealing in marijuana at the Roslyn St cafe.

Mr Whelan said the Crown Solictor's advice was there was evidence of
drug related activity over "a period of time" and there was a
"sequence of events" showing the application was justified.

The Minister said after the cafe had been declared a "disorderly
house" Kings Cross police had 24-hour access without a search warrant
to search and seize property and other evidence.

Mr Whelan said any person found entering or leaving the "disorderly
house" could be charged unless they could prove they were there for a
lawful purpose.

He said the owners and the occupiers of the premises could also face
jail if they did not take steps to stop illegal activity at the cafe.

Last July, Police Commissioner Peter Ryan asked the NSW Supreme Court
to have Cafe Amsterdam declared a "disorderly house".

But the case then stalled as the Crown Solicitor waited on evidence
from police.

The Government will review the Disorderly Houses Act - which dates
back to the 1940s - when the court case is completed.

The Government's actions come after The Daily Telegraph revealed the
Amsterdam Cafe was one of five "cafes" in Kings Cross where drug
dealing was also on the menu.

The other cafes revealed to be selling drugs were the Piccolo Bar, the
Elysee Cafe, Cafe 7 and Bliss House.

City East Region Commander Dick Adams yesterday mobilised a police
strike force to concentrate on shutting down the five Roslyn St cafes.

Commander Adams said 18 police were sent to the Kings Cross Drug Unit
to show locals police were pro- active in the area.

"Particularly this strike force I formed to regain public confidence
and to show the police are doing something about medium-level drug
dealing in Kings Cross," he said.