Subj: UK: Drugs tsar tells customs to go soft on cannabis smugglers



Date: 8 Nov, 1998



Source: Scotland on Sunday







Drugs tsar tells customs to go soft on cannabis smugglers

By Neil Mackay



THE government's drug tsar hs ordered customs officers to 

take a softer approach to cannabis smugglers.



Keith Hellawell has told them to concentrate resources 

against heroin and cocaine.



The move was attacked yesterday by the former Grampian chief 

constable, Dr Ian Oliver, but backed by some anti-drugs 

groups. "This amounts to admitting we have lost the fight 

against drugs," said Oliver.



He added that Hellawell's directive appeared tobe the first 

step towards the legalisation of cannabis.



Seizures of heroin in the UK more than doubled last year, 

forcing the customs service to revamp its approach to the 

fight against large-scale commercial drug smuggling. 

Hellawell is demanding higher priority be given to the 

search for Class A drugs such as heroin - even if it means 

going soft on cannabis smugglers.



Customs and Excise has been given until March to work out 

exactly how it will change its operations to incorporate the 

directive. The move has divided the service and the Scottish 

police. Both Strathclyde and Lothian and Borders Police have 

vowed to continue to target suppliers of cannabis and anyone 

possessing the drug. A spokesperson for Strathclyde said: 

"We are committed to upholding the law against all 

controlled drugs, including cannabis."