Official report lifts lid on pounds 600m drugs market
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A mixture of luxury housing, poor council estates, street markets, restaurants. Drugs available from West Indian dealers and street vendors. Buyers "would sometimes buy drugs while doing their weekly shopping".
Drugs: Heroin, cannabis, crack, and prescribed drugs such as methadone.
THE DOCTOR'S SURGERY
Some doctors make "large sums of money easily by issuing repeat prescriptions on a weekly basis to dependent drug users. The weekly consultation fee is usually pounds 25. Pharmacists often allow users credit."
Drugs: injectable methadone, amphetamines and tranquillisers.
THE STREETS
Poor working-class area, with mix of white and Asian and black. "Contacting sellers via their mobile phones was the norm. Some buyers had up to 10 or more sellers' mobile phone numbers. Most phones were cloned or stolen."
Drugs: Heroin and crack among whites and second generation Bangladeshis; also ecstasy, LSD and temazepam.
THE RAILWAY STATION
Train station (believed to be King's Cross), where prostitutes and street drinkers congregate. Buyers and sellers come from all parts of city. 24-hour market. Drugs usually bought within 10 minutes of arriving at market.
Drugs: Heroin, crack, and some amphetamines, ecstasy Temazepam and cannabis.
THE PUBS AND CLUBS
Vibrant street culture based on pubs and clubs. Predominately white buyers who are based around entrance to underground station. Prostitutes spent up to pounds 2,000 a week on drugs
Drugs: Heroin from Italian dealers and crack cocaine from Afro-Caribbeans. Cannabis for casual users and tourists.
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