Police close down 20 drug houses to hit trade

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Police were starting to win the war on drugs, Commissioner Paul White claimed yesterday.

 

Police have shut down, or through raids forced the closure, of 20 drug houses since August last year.

 

``The introduction of drug premises legislation represented a major challenge and opportunity for the police force to disrupt the illict drug market,'' Mr White said.

 

He said operations run by the drug squad had shut down drug houses known to supply not only cannabis but also amphetamine.

 

Since the legislation's introduction:

 

SIXTY-EIGHT first warning notices have been issued, including one to a commercial premises in Darwin;

 

NINE second warning notices across the NT have been issued;

 

FOUR third warning notices have been given out;

 

TWO homes have officially been branded drug houses under the legislation _ one in Darwin and one at Alice Springs.

 

Mr White said the closure of the drug houses was a significant part in limiting the availability of drugs in the Territory.

 

In the 2002-03 financial year, police issued 20 drug infringement notices to people caught cultivating less than two cannabis plants, and 403 tickets to people caught with 50g or less of the drug.

 

Mr White said the drug squad had had some significant results in catching those supplying and manufacturing drugs in the Territory.

 

``Our fight against drugs saw the Drug Enforcement Unit achieving considerable success in targeting the supply, distribution and manufacture of illicit drugs,'' Mr White said.

 

Police Minister Paul Henderson said the Government's decision to give police the powers they needed to tackle the NT's drug problem had paid off.

 

He said the Drug House legislation was one example of this.

 

``I commend police for their dedication and commitment to intelligence-led policing which has played such a significant role in this downturn in crime rates in the Territory,'' he said.

 

Northern Territory News