Police Gain Ground In North Drugs War

Battles are being won in the war against drugs in the north-east, with a drop in deaths and charges, police revealed last night. Drugs worth £105,000 have been taken off the streets in Grampian in the past three months, following a major operation last year that netted crack cocaine and heroin worth £1million.

The figures come as a dealer begins a jail term after being caught with enough heroin to supply every addict in Aberdeen with several £10 bags.

Figures for the north and south Aberdeenshire divisions of Grampian Police showed drug charges – including supply, possession and production – had dropped by 88 to 166 over the last three months.

The charges were brought following 393 stop searches and 15 drug search warrants.

The force’s substance misuse co-ordinator, Inspector Ally Prockter, said it reflected the “good work” of officers concentrating on drug abuse and supply in the north-east.

The force has worked closely with drug and alcohol groups in the area to combat drug problems at their root causes.

And in an effort to stem the rise of blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, two “needle exchange” bins will be set up in the coming weeks.

Secure bins will be put in place at community pharmacies at Inverurie and Kemnay to allow users access to clean needles.

There is already a bin at Peterhead and facilities at police stations in the region.

Grahame Cronkshaw, of the Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug Addiction Team, said the intention was to have needle-exchange cover in all major towns in the region.

The move is supported by politicians in the north-east.

Tory health spokeswoman Nanette Milne said: “Where there is a drugs problem, clearly blood-borne diseases are a risk. Communities get very worried about dirty needles lying around.”

Evidence of the positive trend comes as police prepare for the launch of mandatory drug testing at force headquarters in Aberdeen. The pilot scheme, mirrored in Glasgow and Edinburgh, will begin on June 12.

Insp Prockter said people arrested for any of 11 “trigger” offences would be required to undergo a mouth swab to test for drugs.

“It should reveal very quickly if they have taken anything,” he said. “It’s a way of directing them to help. A lot of offenders want to be helped at this stage but maybe don’t have the wherewithal to go about it themselves.”

Insp Prockter said those testing positive could not be forced to attend subsequent counselling but he hoped it would help “break the cycle”.

Police said yesterday there had been two drug-related deaths so far this year in Aberdeenshire. Moray and Aberdeen recorded one suspected drug-related death each.

Last year, 48 drug deaths were recorded in the region, prompting renewed calls by a politician for police to stamp out the “disgusting trade”.

Aberdeen North SNP MSP Brian Adam described the number of drug deaths last year as a “tragedy”.

Yesterday, David Henderson was jailed for three years and 10 months after admitting being concerned in the supply of heroin on November 16 last year.

At the High Court in Glasgow, the 32-year-old, who was described as a prisoner in Aberdeen, admitted having enough of the drug to supply the Granite City’s 2,800 addicts with a few “tenner bags” each.

He was caught after a tip-off led police to his mother’s home in Clifton Road, Aberdeen.

Officers obtained a warrant, searched the house and found 492 grams of the drug in a jacket inside Henderson’s bedroom.

If the heroin had been divided into bags for deals, its value would be £49,200.

Henderson’s solicitor, Gail Gianni, told the court Henderson was an addict and was put under pressure and threatened because of a £500 drug-related debt.

She added that Henderson, who has a previous High Court conviction for drug misuse, intends to leave Aberdeen once he has served his sentence.