DRUGS MANTLE OFF

Undercover Police Target Heroin Dealers

POLICE have mounted a special no-holds-barred operation to deal with
street drug dealers.

Specially trained under-cover police will be a key element of the
operation, which is aimed at halting an escalating availability at
heroin.

The operation; codenamed Mantle, began yesterday and is expected to
continue for six months.

It is understood covert video surveillance of suspects will be an
integral part of the operation, which may eventually be extended to
country areas.

Six teams, each comprising six officers, have been assigned to every
Criminal Investigation Branch in the metropolitan area.

Each team will consist of two detectives, two officers from the
Command Response divisions, and two uniformed officers.

All the officers involved in the operation recently completed a
special week-long training course.

It is estimated that more than 5000 South Australians are regular
heroin users.

A recent study of illicit drugs by the National Drug and Alcohol
Research Centre found 50 per cent of Adelaide's drug users had
committed crimes in the previous month.

The study also found that about 40 per cent of offenders charged by
detectives involved in the anti-robbery Operation Counteract were
users of hard drugs such as heroin.

Crime figures issued recently linked drug addicts to a 30 per cent
jump in the number of violent robberies in the past year.

In an exclusive interview with The Advertiser last month, the Police
Commissioner, Mr Hyde. warned drug dealers: "You had better look out."

"If we are going to solve our crime problem, we have to solve the
heroin problem."

Checked-by: Patrick Henry