ADDICTS COMMIT HALF CITY CRIME

Half of all the crimes in Norwich are committed by drug addicts stealing to
feed their habits, city police said today.

Although detectives have already caught 25 significant dealers this year,
Insp Jim Smerdon, head of the Pro-active Unit, said "The force could never
get on top of the problem".

The news came as officers revealed 10 people had been arrested for drugs
offences in operation Hornet.

Thousands of pounds woth of heroin, amphetamines, ecstasy and cannabis were
seized.

Norwich's plight mirrors the country wide trend in which half of those
arrested by police were on drugs. In London, 25 per cent of those arrested
had traces of heroin in their urine.

According to a new national survey, addicts may be stealing up to 2 billion
pounds of property a year to feed their habits.

"Norwich never used to have a heroin problem until about three years ago,
when a travelling dealer in Mile Cross effectivly created one. Once you
open up a market for this sort of habit it has to be fed" said Insp.
Smerdon.

"We have taken out about 25 dealers already this year, as well as 30 or so
smaller ones, but there are always others below the surface ready to take
their place. You are never on top of it".

As the battle against drugs intensifies, one of the proposals currently
under consideration by the Home Office is to put electronic tags on drug
addicts who have committed crimes and force them to undergo treatment.