Chasing smuggled shipments of illegal narcotics and hunting down crime lords stands little chance of halting the flow of cocaine, heroin and other illegal drugs that triggers violence on Britain’s streets, a top law enforcement official has said.
Vince O’Brien, the head of operations for drugs, firearms and other commodities for the National Crime Agency, told the Guardian law enforcement in the UK expected the availability of illegal drugs to continue at least at their present level or rise, amid
claims it is quicker to get class A drugs delivered than a pizza.
He said reducing demand was key – but the desire for class A drugs was as strong as ever with profits huge, and crime barons innovating their products for users who see them as a choice of lifestyle rather than of addiction.
Whereas previously, county lines tactics had gangs from big cities selling drugs into smaller towns and rural areas, now gangs based in almost half of areas served by the 43 police forces in England and Wales sell drugs out of their areas, the NCA’s annual threat assessment will say on Tuesday.
The NCA is described as Britain’s version of the FBI and O’Brien is part of the country’s senior leadership fighting the drugs trade.
