SMACKDOWN
Top cop fears drug wars after rules are eased
OUR top cops are bracing for a rash of vicious gang turf wars over cheap drugs as soon as the lockdown is lifted.
A huge backlog of Class A narcotics will flood the market once measures are eased, making street prices crash and sparking conflict between pushers vying to control drug markets.
National Crime Agency boss Steve Rodhouse said: “When the lockdown is released we’ll see a lot of crime groups trying to bring drugs into the country, potentially as a commodity that’s backed up in the supply chain.
“We are very mindful that has potential to cause a reduction in price and maybe a competition between groups. We’ve got well developed plans to tackle that.”
The restrictions have made the international movement of drugs difficult.
Yesterday, police said they found cocaine with a street value of £3million in a lorry at Dover, Kent, and charged three men. It followed the seizure of £19million of cocaine in two lorries carrying toys and paper on Monday at the same port. And there has already been a spike in violence as hard-up gangs call in debts. Mr Rodhouse said: “There is some indication the difficulties of getting drugs into the country mean gangs are finding it hard to get hold of cash.
“Sometimes that can cause conflict. There’s a sense that’s causing violence. The drugs market is cash-driven, when the cash dries up it’s harder for people to pay their debts and that can lead to acts of violence.”
Mr Rodhouse also revealed the NCA is working to halt a boom in human trafficking as the lockdown closes all entry points to the UK. He said border agencies have seen a surge in French criminals forcing refugees aboard tiny dinghies to cross the Channel.
Mr Rodhouse said: “There is a threat of immigration crime. With a massive reduction of passenger traffic across the Channel and change in the way freight transport is coming across, people trying to get to the UK are disproportionately trying to get in on small boats.
“Some of the facilitators in France are really unscrupulous, but it’s a really dangerous route. “He added that online fraudsters are “flourishing” by exploiting the virus to sell dodgy PPE and fake testing kits, and set up other scams.
He said: “The priority in lockdown is to make sure the threat from organised crime doesn’t disproportionately impact the most vulnerable members of society. There is a risk in terms of the changes we’re seeing in organised crime and the opportunities it presents.
“Organised crime has adapted pretty quickly but the NCA has changed too.”
Organised crime has adapted quickly but the NCA has too