Despite a remit to stem the flow of drugs into this country, Britain’s version of the FBI stands accused of ignoring intelligence and shying away from tackling the smugglers. Paul Lashmar reports on a shaky first 18 months for SOCA.…
Tag Archive for seizures
Druglink article 2012 – Birth of the Narco-state by Andrew Craig
In Ghana, greater self-sufficiency, improvements in health care and a reduction in poverty have all contributed to its stability over the last 20 years. However, the result of the national election to be held in December 2012 has the potential to destroy these…
Druglink article 2012 – Wash day by Euan Grant
To paraphrase The Wire, if you just go after the drugs, all you get is drugs; chase the money and you never know where it may lead. But with HSBC the latest bank to be embroiled in a drug money scandal, how effective…
Druglink article 2012 – Diazepam daze by Jason Bennetto
Drug enforcement officers in Scotland are starting to seize large quantities of tranquillisers they believe are being either manufactured in illegal UK-based laboratories, smuggled from abroad or bought online. Diazepam daze (PDF)
Druglink article 2001 – Getting to market: Trafficking takes it easy by Tamara Makarenko
Developments in the countries around Afghanistan have led to the expansion of less regulated ‘northern’ trafficking routes Getting to market: Trafficking takes it easy (PDF)
Druglink article 1994 – The crack report by Harry Shapiro
Enforcement statistics suggest a steep rise in crack use in recent years but not to epidemic levels. Crack is commonly used in some inner city areas, generally on an irregular and non-dependent basis. The connection with black people is stronger…
Druglink article 1990 – Illicit drugs and the world economy by the UN information service
Why a world economy that gives us cheap coffee also gives us cocaine. The rapid decline in raw commodity prices and accumulation of foreign debt in developing countries in the 1980s lies behind the escalating illicit drug production and trafficking…
Druglink article 1987 – A cocaine explosion by Colin Hewitt
In January cocaine worth £6 million was seized in Essex and politicians renewed warnings that surplus South American cocaine was set to cause a ‘cocaine explosion’ in Britain. But the UK’s top police drugs investigator believes our defences can withstand…
What do drug seizures tell us about availability?
The number of drugs seized and people arrested vary greatly from year to year. This generally reflects the activity of the police and customs, rather than the amount of drugs available. UK statistics in drug seizures made by the police…