‘Cocaine trade is fuelling violence’ says MP
COCAINE dealing in Accrington is leading to a surge in drug-related violence in the borough, Hyndburn’s MP has claimed.
Graham Jones told the Observer that he believes clashes on the streets of Accrington have been caused by a wider turf war between dealers coming forward to fill the power vacuum left after major drugs raids by police in the town in 2013.
Backing our Killer Cocaine: Stop the Deaths campaign, Mr Jones said he has been heavily involved in conversations with senior commanders and police officers as well as community leaders about the drugs problem and what can be done about it. He also pledged to raise the issue with Home Office ministers.
He said: “These things come in cycles, those dawn raids [in 2013] led to a number of prison sentences for higher professional drug dealers in Accrington and unfortunately what follows that is turf wars.
“Because of the huge quantities of money involved, it’s led to various people who were lower down the pecking order last time now beginning to fight amongst themselves to replace the dealers that were locked up in 2013 and as a consequence we have seen a spike in drug-related violence.
“I would suspect that at the end of this cycle we will have another round-up of drug dealers who will be following their predecessors to prison for lengthy sentences.”
Mr Jones said the use of cocaine and other hard drugs is the ‘number one’ issue in west Accrington and a problem that impacts the whole of the borough. He said: “We don’t know the answer to the increased number of deaths - whether there is an increased consumption or contamination. For a starting point we can assume that it’s both.
“Those drug dealers behind it are quite happy to wield machetes. They are not bothered if the drugs they cut are laced with chemicals that put someone’s life at risk, they are not bothered about anyone losing their lives as a result of these drugs.
“I have asked the police to bring in sniffer dog units. The war on drugs is going to be escalated and I accept that when we lead the next round-up of drug dealers there will be future drug dealers that will take their place. Until the nation can decide whether the decriminalisation of drugs would be beneficial that won’t change. But anyone who buys drugs is tacitly supporting violence, supporting illegal activity and the problems of drug dealers.” He added: “There is nothing ‘party’ about cocaine and the effects and the misery it brings. I think that addictive cocaine is seen by a minority of young people as attractive, but what you’re paying for is a crippling depressive low that come after a high, it’s a vicious cycle that traps you in addiction.”
Lancashire Police told the Observer that they are committed to taking drugs off our streets.
A spokesman said: “The activities of drug dealers can have a dramatic effect on our communities. It can ruin lives, fuel other crime, such as burglary and robbery, and can instil fear in our neighbourhoods and we are determined to tackle that. The vast majority of our activities are driven by community intelligence and so we need the public to work with us by reporting any suspicious activity to us so we can take action.
“Information can be reported to us by calling 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or online at crimestoppersuk.org.”