Pubdate: Wed, 14 Sep 2005
Source: Evening Telegraph (Dundee UK)
Copyright: 2005 D C Thomson & Co Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3926
Author: Grant Smith

SCOTLAND'S DRUG SEIZURES DOUBLE

The Number Of Drug Seizures In Scotland Almost Doubled Between 1994 And 
2003, New Government Figures Show (Writes Grant Smith).

The data compiled by the Home Office does not speculate on the cause, but 
it is likely to be a combination of increasing use of illegal drugs and the 
increasing efforts of police, customs and other agencies to combat the problem.

There were a total of 22,400 seizures made in 2003, up 8% on the previous 
year. There was a rise in the number of cases involving Class B drugs, 
including cannabis, but a drop in those involving Class A drugs such as 
heroin and cocaine.

Almost 80% of seizures involved cannabis. Possession of or dealing in 
cannabis accounted for 67% of the drugs offenders dealt with by the police 
or the courts during 2003.

There were 1637 drug seizures made in Tayside, the third highest of 
Scotland's eight police force areas after Strathclyde and Lothian and 
Borders. Some 1220 of these cases involved cannabis. Heroin was second 
highest with 151 cases, followed by ecstasy on 127 and amphetamines on 104 
and there were 64 seizures of cocaine.

Fife recorded 558 seizures, the second lowest in the country after Dumfries 
and Galloway. Again, cannabis topped the list with 448 cases, followed by 
106 for heroin, 51 for amphetamine and 29 for ecstasy. There were 14 
cocaine seizures, plus one for crack cocaine.

In 2003, 7100 people in Scotland were convicted in court for drugs 
offences. That was a rise of 22% on the previous year and the highest total 
recorded since 1994.

Just over half of those convicted of dealing were jailed, but only 3% of 
those convicted of possession. The average sentence for dealing was just 
over two years.

A regional breakdown showed police in Fife more likely than their Tayside 
counterparts to give drugs offenders cautions, while the imposition of 
fiscal fines was more likely in Tayside. Some 57% of Tayside offenders were 
fined by the courts and only 4% sent to jail. In Fife, 21% were fined and 
10% jailed.

Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Executive, deputy justice minister Hugh 
Henry said, "Drugs continue to blight too many lives and these figures are 
a reminder of the scale of those problems. But there is encouragement to be 
taken, too.

"The 46% increase in drug seizures between 2000 and 2003 is evidence of the 
Scottish police commitment to combating the principal serious crime threat 
to Scottish communities. In the first six months of 2004-05, the Scottish 
Drug Enforcement Agency seized more Class A drugs than in the whole of 
2003-04 and, over the 12 months (April 2004 to March 2005), seized Class A 
drugs with a potential street value of over UKP22.3 million.

"More recently, the Drug Dealers Don't Care campaign we launched this year 
produced a massive four-fold increase in actionable calls from the public 
and led to the seizure of UKP1.5 million of drugs and cash.

"While sentencing in individual cases is entirely a matter for the 
judiciary, it is encouraging to note, for example, the increase in those 
dealers being sentenced to more than seven years in jail.

"Many acts of shoplifting, muggings, and other crimes are carried out by 
drug misusers desperate to feed habits. Taking out major dealers is part of 
the solution, but we need also to break the links between addiction and 
offending.

"We have put in place a range of treatment interventions at the various 
stages of the criminal justice system for dealing with individuals who 
commit crime to fund a drug addiction. But we can do even more.

"I expect to be able to make announcement shortly on how and where we will 
invest a further UKP2 million in improving the effective links between 
health and justice services in tackling this problem."
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