DRUG AGENCY BACKED

IAM exceptionally disappointed that your reporter, Marcello Mega, did not
check the basic facts before claiming (Crime fighters at war over new
Scottish drug agency, News, last week) that the National Criminal
Intelligence Service (NCIS) has "warned in writing that it would not
support the new (drug enforcement) agency if its own independence was
compromised".

NCIS has never given such a warning, written or otherwise. It is not our view.

To further suggest that we have at any time threatened to withhold our
co-operation is also untrue and, indeed, offensive. Mr Mega has no evidence
whatsoever to support this suggestion, as we have never made any such threat.

When Mr Mega contacted NCIS, he was told, quite unequivocally, that we have
worked very closely with those seeking to establish the new agency and
would continue to provide law enforcement agencies in Scotland with
whatever strategic and tactical intelligence they required to combat
serious and organised crime. This would apply equally to any new agency as
it does to our current police and customs partners.

In failing to report our views your reporter has both maligned this
organisation and trivialised an important issue.

Vincent Harvey
Director
United Kingdom Division National Criminal Intelligence Service London SE11