RELIEF AT CUT TO SUPPLY

VICTORIAN community workers, emergency services and the drug squad all
hailed the heroin haul and agreed that benefits would be felt
throughout the state.

Acting Chief-Insp. Chris Notman, of the drug squad, said the haul
would make a significant dent in Victoria's heroin appetite.

"We anticipate it will reduce the supply to Victoria," he
said.

"And this means lives will most certainly be saved."

But he warned that while the availability of drugs in the short term
would be reduced, it wouldn't take long for the supply to return.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Ambulance Service, Mr Ian Patrick,
said the haul was timely following a potent batch of heroin
circulating the streets in the past weeks.

"We had 15 drug over-doses in 24 hours the other day," he
said.

Open Family chief executive Nathan Sterling said any reduction in risk
was welcome.

"It's the smaller users that won't be able to get a fix," he
said.

"If I was a school principal, for example, worried about students'
drug habits then this drug haul would be welcome news."

Checked-by: Patrick Henry