CRACK COCAINE CRIME WARNING

POLICE chiefs fear the emergence of crack cocaine in North Cumbria
could lead to a spiralling crime rate.

The highly addictive drug - which has led to the crime rate trebling
in other areas of the UK - has begun to emerge in the county over
recent weeks.

Detective Superintendent Peter Kirkbride, head of the force's CID,
said they were analysing the situation in a bid to prepare themselves
for any future action.

Consequences

"There have been signs that crack cocaine is starting to emerge in the
county - it started in south Cumbria, then there were incidents in the
west and it is now starting to emerge in north Cumbria," he said.

"It's at a small level - but we are mindful of the potential
consequences and the effect it could have on crime.

"We are doing environmental scanning and analysis to give us a better
picture of the situation."

Crack cocaine - manufactured by heating powder cocaine into
crystallised rocks for smoking - is highly addictive and more
expensive than other drugs, leading to users committing more and more
crime to fund their habit. Addicts can spend up to =A3400 funding their
habit over a weekend, compared to a =A350 a day cost for heroin.

"There have been reported incidents of dealers in Liverpool and
Manchester giving away free samples to couriers - essentially trying
to create a market with dealers up here," Supt Kirkbride added.

"There is anecdotal evidence that a problem with crack cocaine in
Preston started with just one woman from Nottingham who moved there
and started to deal in it. She single-handedly created the demand and
it just mushroomed. Crack cocaine is so addictive."

Supt Kirkbride dismissed the theory that Cumbria was starting to see
crack cocaine because flights from Jamaica had recently been
introduced at Manchester airport.

"It is true that Manchester is probably the source of most of the
crack cocaine in the north but these flights are the subject of police
and customs operations," he said. "We know where the couriers are from
and where the cocaine is destined for. None of it is coming here."

Supt Kirkbride said it would be some time before the analysis was
complete. And in spite of police fears, he added: "People should not
be alarmed - the drug hasn't taken root in Cumbria. We are not in an
epidemic."