Pubdate: Sat, 17 Mar 2001
Source: Illawarra Mercury (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 Illawarra Newspapers
Contact:  282 Keira St, Wollongong NSW 2500
Fax: (02) 4226 3616
Website: http://www.illawarramercury.com/

NEW POLICE POWERS TO CONTROL DRUG USERS

New powers enabling police to remove drug users from public places came 
into force yesterday, the NSW Government said.

Under the new laws, police will be able to deal with drug-affected people 
in the same way as drunks by removing them from public areas to a health 
centre for treatment, or to their home.

The laws came into force as police grapple with increasing drug and crime 
problems in the south-western Sydney suburb of Cabramatta and other 
notorious inner-city drug hot spots such as Kings Cross.

Drug affected people who were moved on under the new police powers would 
not be charged.
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