TURKISH FAMILY 'CONTROLS UK DRUGS BUSINESS'

A close-knit Turkish family organisation - equivalent to the Italian
Mafia - has taken over the supply and sale of heroin in Britain,
according to an explicit American government intelligence report
obtained by the Guardian.

The report, released by the drug enforcement agency under the US
freedom of information act, coincides with talks between Keith
Hellawell, the British drug tsar and General Barry McCaffrey, his US
equivalent, in London today.

The cabinet office confirmed yesterday that the growing heroin problem
- - particularly as it is becoming a drug of first choice by teenagers -
will be on the agenda on Anglo-American co-operation to fight the menace.

Gen McCaffrey will meet Mo Mowlam, the new cabinet "enforcer" and home
office ministers Charles Clarke and Paul Boateng. He is bringing 18 of
his own officials for a range of meetings with government figures.

The report released to the Guardian was prepared for a meeting last
year between senior DEA officials and Mr Hellawell in Virginia. The
DEA warns in it that there is "a rising popularity of heroin among
young people, particularly in the north of England and Scotland".

The report said 95% of heroin seized in Britain originates from
south-west Asia, with Turkey "being the most important transit point".

It flows from Turkey either through the Balkans or via Holland,
Germany or Belgium into Britain. "Much of the heroin smuggled into the
United Kingdom is frequently transported aboard ferryboats, and
concealed in private vehicles and tractor-trailers," added the report.

The DEA believed that Turkish residents with connections to suppliers
in Turkey dominate the heroin trade. Around 80% of the heroin
intercepted by British authorities has been peddled by Turkish gangs.
These gangs "have a cohesive hierarchical structure based on family or
village ties" and are based within large Turkish communities in London
and other cities.

"When the heroin arrives, local Turkish organisations break down the
shipment into small consignments for further distribution," according
to the report.

"Heroin use is common not only in major cities, but in medium-sized
cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh as well. Traffickers from
Scotland typically travel to England to pick up the heroin which is
redistributed in Scotland."

The DEA said Nigerian gangs could also become key players. "Although
there are no well-developed Nigerian organisations in the United
Kingdom, there are numerous Nigerian criminals involved in narcotic
smuggling as well as other criminal activity. The British realise
there is a problem with Nigerians and have a created a special
operational group which will focus on Nigerians." This group was due
to start work last year.

The DEA estimated that once heroin was being sold on the street, it
was 40 to 50% pure.

The Americans noted that Mr Hellawell cautioned last year that in
Britain, "heroin is now the first drug experimented with by some young
people - a dangerous trend away from marijuana/hashish."

"Many of the same societal ills caused by drug-trafficking in the
United States are now mirrored in Britain," added the DEA.

According to the report, Mr Hellawell requested briefings from the DEA
on the Colombian drug trade and a brief summary of the meeting records
that the discussion centred on the domestic drug threat in the US.

It adds: "Talked about the problem encryption of telephone
communications could be in England in the future for law enforcement
and enforcement efforts." It says that the DEA was working on this
problem.