Drugs seized 30 times a day in prisons, according to new data – The Guardian

Posted March 6th, 2017 in drug offences, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, statistics by sally

‘Drugs were seized almost 30 times a day in prisons in England and Wales last year with the weight of the illegal substances confiscated reaching 225kg. The figures come from new government analysis documenting the epidemic of drugs being smuggled into the penal network.’

Full story

The Guardian, 5th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

First case dropped since forensic science blunders as CPS says it cannot proceed against drug driver following intervention from ‘Mr Loophole’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in Crown Prosecution Service, drug offences, evidence, forensic science, news by sally

‘The first case linked to allegations of a forensic science blunder has been dropped after the CPS said it cannot proceed against a drug driver.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rogue forensic workers feared to have doctored the results of 500 lab tests – throwing hundreds of court cases into doubt – Daily Telegraph

‘Almost 500 criminal investigations are being reviewed after test results at a forensics lab were allegedly tampered with by two “rogue” scientists.’

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Daily Telegraph, February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Cancer sufferer jailed for 11 years after starting up ‘Breaking Bad’ drugs enterprise – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 14th, 2017 in conspiracy, drug offences, drug trafficking, families, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A former banker, who began supplying crystal meth after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, has been condemned to die in prison after being sentenced to 11-years.’

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Daily Telegraph, 13th February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Criminals fleeing British justice can no longer use Cyprus as a safe haven, judges rule, in landmark decision – Daily Telegraph

‘Fugitives from British justice cannot use Northern Cyprus to dodge punishment for their crimes, High Court judges have ruled in a landmark decision.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Is the ‘legal highs’ ban working? – BBC News

Posted January 27th, 2017 in drug abuse, drug offences, news by sally

‘It is eight months since the British government banned the drugs that were known as “legal highs”.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government takes action on county line drug gangs – Home Office

‘The Home Secretary announces plans to crack down on ‘deal-lines’ used by county line drugs gangs.’

Full press release

Home Office, 22nd January 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Psychoactive substances ban 6 months on: almost 500 arrests and first convictions – Home Office

Posted January 4th, 2017 in drug offences, press releases, prosecutions, statistics by tracey

‘Nearly 500 people have been arrested since the government’s landmark Psychoactive Substances Act came into force 6 months ago.’

Full press release

Home Office, 29th December 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Sentencing Council publishes drug driving guidance – Sentencing Council

Posted November 24th, 2016 in drug offences, news, road traffic offences, sentencing by tracey

‘Today the Sentencing Council is launching guidance for sentencing cases of “drug driving”. The guidance is to assist those sentencing offences of driving, attempting to drive or being in charge of a motor vehicle with a concentration of a specified controlled drug in the body above the specified limit (Section 5A Road Traffic Act 1988).’

Full guidance

Sentencing Council, 17th November 2016

Source: http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

Stephen Port: Serial killer guilty of murdering four men – BBC News

Posted November 24th, 2016 in drug offences, homosexuality, murder, news, poisoning, rape, recidivists by tracey

‘A serial killer has been found guilty of murdering four young men by poisoning them with lethal doses of a date rape drug.
Stephen Port, 41, lured his victims to his London flat and secretly gave them GHB, the Old Bailey heard. Scotland Yard believes there could be more victims and is reviewing 58 deaths in London spanning four years involving the drug.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd November 2016

source: www.bbc.co.uk

It’s time to decriminalize drugs, commission report says – The Guardian

Posted November 22nd, 2016 in crime, drug abuse, drug offences, health, news, reports, United Nations by sally

‘World leaders called for the decriminalization of drugs on Monday, in a report released by a commission that includes the former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan and former presidents of Colombia, Mexico and Brazil.’

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The Guardian, 21st November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legalisation of cannabis ‘only solution to crime and addiction problems’ – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in drug abuse, drug offences, news by sally

‘Report by Adam Smith Institute says UK’s drug strategy ‘has failed in its core aims’ and urges government to legalise cannabis.’

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The Guardian, 21st November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

How the UK’s drug laws have created an underground medical marijuana scene – The Independent

Posted November 16th, 2016 in crime, drug offences, drug trafficking, health, medicines, news by sally

‘The UK’s underground medical marijuana scene, where dealers give away tens of thousands of pounds worth of cannabis in order to offer relief to those in physical pain, has been exposed in a new documentary.’

Full story

The Independent, 15th November 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

BMJ medical journal calls for legalisation of drugs – The Independent

Posted November 15th, 2016 in crime, doctors, drug abuse, drug offences, health, news by tracey

‘The British Medical Journal has called for the legalisation of illicit drugs for the first time.’

Full story

The Independent, 15th November 2016

Source; www.independent.co.uk

Drug dependence: treatment over incarceration – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted October 19th, 2016 in crime, drug abuse, drug offences, health, news, rehabilitation by sally

‘Drug dependence has significant direct and indirect costs to society beyond the impact on individuals. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction estimates that in 2010 alone, between €3.7b to 5.9b of public money was spent on drug-law offenders in prisons in Europe. This figure does not include the cost of criminal justice responses to drug-using offenders who have been convicted of other crimes that may have been motivated in part by drug-dependency.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 18th October 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Home Office fails to deport foreign drug dealer who has lived in UK for more than 20 years – The Independent

Posted October 6th, 2016 in appeals, deportation, drug offences, human rights, news by tracey

‘A convicted drug dealer who turned his life around to become a “diligent student” will not be deported to Sierra Leone after two law lords ruled he would be incapable of settling in his home country.’

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The Independent, 5th October 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Conman who pretended washing powder was cocaine guilty of defrauding drug users – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 5th, 2016 in drug abuse, drug offences, fraud, illegality, news by sally

‘A conman who was found to be selling washing powder as cocaine has ended up in court for fraud.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th October 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MPs call for medical cannabis to be made legal – BBC News

Posted September 13th, 2016 in drug offences, medicines, news, select committees by sally

‘Taking cannabis for medical reasons should be made legal, says a cross-party group of UK politicians.’

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BBC News, 13th September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Over 330 physical retailers stop selling formerly legal highs – The Guardian

Posted August 26th, 2016 in drug offences, news, statistics by sally

‘More than 330 shops, takeaways, tattoo parlours, petrol stations and newsagents have stopped selling formerly legal highs three months after the blanket ban on novel psychoactive substances, according to newly released Home Office figures.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Just one in four cannabis users are charged and arrests have fallen by almost 50% since 2010, new figures show – The Independent

Posted August 24th, 2016 in drug offences, news, police, statistics by sally

‘Just one in four people caught with cannabis are charged by police across England and Wales, new figures reveal, while arrests and cautions have fallen by almost half and charges have fallen by a third since 2010.’

Full story

The Independent, 13th August 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk