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UK: Addicts' fixes costliest in UK
Paul James Herald Express (Devon)
Thursday 18 Mar 2004 Drug addicts in the Bay are paying among the highest prices for their fixes in the UK. But no one is complaining except the burglary victims whose substantial losses pay for the addicts' deadly habits. A national charity has just compiled a league table of street prices for drugs ranging from heroin and cocaine to cannabis and ecstasy. The figures, which show the Bay to be one of the most expensive places in the UK for banned substances, come as fears grow for plummeting world prices and a subsequent glut of drugs on the market. The "shopping list" compiled by London-based charity DrugScope, reveals Birmingham is the cheap drugs capital of the UK. A gram of heroin in the city fetches UKP25 while in the Bay, the cost can be as much as UKP60. The same quantity of cocaine costs between UKP30 and UKP40 in the UK's second city compared with up to UKP70 on the English Riviera. Ecstasy tablets in the Midlands go for as little as UKP1 against the UKP5 locally. Det Insp Steve Carey, of Torbay CID, who last week received Force recognition for his anti-drugs initiatives, accepts the prices listed in the table are "about right." The expected deluge of drugs in the world market, sparking fears of much cheaper prices, is based on United Nations reports from Afghanistan where poppy production is booming after the removal of the Taliban regime. DI Carey said: "We've not come across any noticeable fall in prices so far. And some drugs, such as cocaine, are a lot more expensive here than in other parts of the country. "Torbay gets its drugs from other areas and that is reflected in the price." His officers have scored impressive successes recently in the fight against dealers in the Bay, who are known to have trade links with Liverpool. This year 550 drug arrests have been made in the Bay, as detectives actively go after offenders. "Obviously we will keep an eye on the national picture and use that intelligence to focus on local policing issues," said DI Carey. He revealed that drugs squad officers would be "re-doubling" efforts this year to track Class A drug users. "We are also reviewing the way we investigate local drugs supplies and importation," he announced.
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