§ 59. Mr. Cyril D. TownsendTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of the possession of the drug crack are known to the Metropolitan police; and what further action he plans to take to deal with this potential threat.
§ Mr. Peter LloydFigures supplied by the police to the national drugs intelligence unit, which may not be completed, show that in the first two months of 1990 the. Metropolitan police made 11 seizures of crack. This compares with 86 seizures in the whole of 1989; 10 in 1988; three in 1987; and three in 1986.
Over £2 million is being made available in 1990–91 for a new drug prevention initiative which will involve the setting up of local drug prevention teams in a number of areas at risk from drugs and in particular from threat of "crack". Areas in London are among those being considered as locations for such teams.
In December 1989 a joint police/Customs task force was set up to combat the "crack" threat. The task force, which is based in London, will target the importation of cocaine linked to the manufacture and distribution of "crack".