CRACK MENACE SPREADING TO ALL CITIES

THE menace of crack cocaine is spreading to every Scottish city, with
police intelligence sources suggesting it is now being manufactured in this
country.

The drug, which is said to be instantly addictive and can send users into
uncontrollable fits of violent rage, has been found in Edinburgh for the
first time.

While previous indications were that crack is mainly imported following the
seizure in Grampian of an 18,000 UKP shipment last year, detectives in
Edinburgh now believe crude and potentially dangerous processes are being
used to produce the rock-like cocaine derivative in the capital. The head
of Lothian and Borders drugs squad, Detective Chief Inspector Ian Ross,
said that while seizures have not been significant so far, they do indicate
that smoking crack cocaine may be the next narcotic trend.

He said: "Drugs can change generally like the fashion scene, the popularity
moves from one to the other.

"The amount of seizures of crack, while perhaps not statistically
significant, would tend to indicate that its use is increasing."

A single unit of the drug, which is made by cooking cocaine with other
ingredients such as ammonia and baking soda, sells for around 50 UKP, and
produces an intense but short-lived euphoric rush.