AGENCY SETS ITS SIGHTS ON DEALERS

Scotland's first police organisation dedicated to tackling drug crime
was launched yesterday with a plea to the public to help track down
dealers.

Deputy Justice Minister Angus MacKay and senior police officers said
the formation of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA) was a
major step forward in the war against drugs.

A poster campaign was also unveiled at the launch, which took place
three months after the agency was set up. It has already been involved
in several successful operations across the country and is also
understood to be working with other oganisations to gather
intelligence on the 21 deaths from contaminated heroin in Glasgow,
Aberdeen, and Dublin.

Mr MacKay said the Scottish Executive had committed pounds 10m over two
years to set up the SDEA, which is based in Paisley.

He added: "This is a very good day for Scottish communities and a very
bad day for drug dealers in Scotland. The creation of the agency means
that, for the first time, Scotland has an agency dedicated to tackling
drug crime. It will genuinely help police forces to catch those who
profit from the human misery that results from the drugs trade.

"We can and we must remove the drug menace and those who thrive on it.
The best way to do that is through partnership. The public have a
critical role to play by providing the police with any information
about the illicit distribution of drugs." He urged members of the
public to call the confidential Crimestoppers telephone number in
Scotland, 0800 555 111, with any information about drug crime.

SDEA director Jim Orr echoed that message. He said: "We need
information from the public on those whom they either know or suspect
to be involved in drug dealing. A phone call could save a life." He
added that the SDEA would target all drug dealers, not just the small
percentage of leading criminals. It will also look at how better to
seize the assets of drug dealers, an issue which is currently being
considered by Ministers.

The appointment of deputy director Detective Chief Superintendent Phil
MacDonald and national drugs co-ordinator Detective Superintendent
Matt Hamilton was also announced yesterday.

A total of 100 new police officers will be recruited, freeing more
experienced officers to work for the SDEA through their own force drug
squads. They will be involved in crime analysis and intelligence
gathering. A further 100 staff are expected to be taken on over the
next three years.

The SDEA will co-ordinate the work of 120 staff from other groups such
as Customs and Excise, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and
the Scottish Crime Squad. There are also plans to set up a central
Scottish intelligence database to share information on drug crime from
all of Scotland's eight forces.

Strathclyde Chief Constable John Orr, speaking in his capacity as
chairman of the standing committee of chief constables, said police
were "hurting" dealers, with pounds 37m of drugs taken off the streets in
Strathclyde last year and several convictions secured against barons.

However, he pointed to the rising number of drug deaths and said more
must be done by all parties. He said: "We talk to the relatives who
are left behind to pick up the pieces and we see the end product of
what these wicked and insidious people are doing."