SECOND RAID TAKES WEEK'S HEROIN SEIZURES TO UKP26M

The chief constable of Strathclyde, John Orr, yesterday won another
major victory in the fight against heroin with another large seizure
of the drug, the second this week.

It brings the total value of drugs seized this week to more than UKP26
million. Scottish Crime Squad detectives backed by Strathclyde
officers recovered 78kg of the drug worth an estimated UKP11 million.
It follows Scotland's largest heroin seizure on Monday in which 105kg,
worth UKP14.7 million, was taken off the streets.

Mr Orr said: "It's a significant amount of drugs off the streets which
can't be used to inflict misery on people. This intensity of activity
will continue."

Norman Bell, 42, of Plean Street, Yoker, James McInnes, 37, of
Parkville Drive, Blantyre, and Andrew Leese, 30, of St Mungo Avenue,
Townhead, Glasgow, appeared in privateat Glasgow Sheriff Court in
connection with the first incident. They were charged with the supply
and possession of heroin.

Mr Orr said that the value of Glasgow's heroin trade has been
estimated at around UKP50 million a year and added that further
arrests could not be ruled out.

"With the UKP26 million this week and the UKP10 million we took off
the streets in the Spotlight initiative on drugs and housebreaking
we're talking about UKP36 million in total removed in the past seven
months," he said.

"The horrors of drug abuse cannot be overstated and the public can be
assured that no effort will be spared in our fight against the dealers."

The combined seizures are estimated to be the equivalentof six months
supply although much of the drug wouldhave been cut down and soldto
addicts in other parts of Scotland.

The successful raids were a result of a covert operation started by
the Scottish Crime Squad three weeks ago. The heroin, which is of high
purity, is believed to have originated in Turkey.

The drugs were recovered in a series of raids on Monday in the
Maryhill, Townhead and Springboig areas of Glasgow.

A second consignment was detected in a car in the Temple district of
Glasgow on Tuesday. One person was arrested in connection with the
discovery.

One senior police source said: "To recover 1kg of smack (heroin) is a
significant seizure in its own right but this was a phenomenal amount
and beyond our wildest dreams."

A drugs squad officer, Detective Sergeant Jim Robertson, said the
seizures would lead to a dearth of heroin on the streets and that
dealers were likely to try to plug that gap.

He said: "We have taken a considerable amount off the streets and they
will no doubt try to replenish it but whether they will be successful
remains to be seen."

It is likely that the price of the heroin will rise or its purity fall
as dealers try to meet demand.

In a separate developments, more than UKP100,000-worth of heroin was
found during a search in a house in Paisley.

A 31-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man are due to appear at Paisley
Sheriff Court today.

In Airdrie three men, aged 17, 27 and 31 are in custody following the
discovery of a quantity of cannabis with a street value of UKP22,500.

Alisdair Ramsay, chairman of Scotland Against Drugs, heralded the
seizures as a major breakthrough in the fight against drugs.

He said: "This is a quite remarkable haul and means there will be
significantly less heroin available on the streets and therefore fewer
opportunities for those taking it to ruin their health.

"This is a further demonstration of the professionalism and patience
of Strathclyde Police who have clearly spent a lot of time and effort
in these operations."

In a separate incident, customs officers from the National
Investigation Service seized UKP500,000-worth of cocaine at Glasgow
Airport on Tuesday. A Spanish man and woman have been charged with
illegally importing the drugs and a report is being prepared for the
procurator fiscal at Paisley.