§ Mr. Dubsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise investigation teams are concerned with drugs; and what proportion of their activity is concerned with (a) heroin, and (b) cannabis.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe investigation division of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has 15 drugs investigation teams based in London. In addition, there are five investigation teams located in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester, which are almost wholly employed on drug smuggling cases.
One third of the London-based drugs teams are allocated specifically to heroin work, and a similar proportion to cannabis. The five provincial teams are engaged on the investigation of the smuggling of all types of drugs. In practice their efforts are divided equally and almost exclusively between heroin and cannabis.