Working to solve the whole problem
Drugs
Reducing the availability of illegal drugs
Drug dealing on our streets is usually accompanied by violence and disruption. It can very quickly damage a town's quality of life.
Ready availability of illegal drugs can make it easier for young people to develop drug addictions. They make it much harder for ex-drug users to stay clean.
Getting illegal drugs off the streets
We're working to get Class A drugs off the streets by:
- tackling the drug supply at all levels - locally, regionally and internationally
- effective policing
- sharing information between government agencies -- Police now share information with HM Revenue and Customs
- confiscating money made from drug trafficking
Our work to fight drug trafficking
- the Anti-Social Behaviour Act helps police work with local authorities to close crack houses within 48 hours
- the Drugs Act 2005 (new window) gave police new powers to test for Class A drugs
- 'Operation crackdown' closed drug dens, disrupted local drug markets, seized firearms and brought drug dealers to justice
- powers to investigate and confiscate the proceeds of crime have been strengthened - so far £84m has been seized
- we're working closely with other countries to stop gangs involved in drug trafficking.
