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The supply of illegal drugs to the Island is ‘drying up’, according to the chief constable.

 

However, the border lockdown has led to smugglers turning more to the post and using courier services, an area which Gary Roberts says is “harder to deal with.”

 

Five arrests for intent to supply have been made, with suspects understood to be carrying “quite reasonable sums [of drugs] and big sums of money.”

 

“This was predictable,” says Mr Roberts, “the purity of drugs that are out there is reducing. The supply is drying up and people reduce the purity to make the same amount of money.”

 

This poses a public health risk because of the adulteration of the controlled substances, where the anaesthetic benzocaine and chalk in some cases, is commonly used as a cutting agent.

 

The Island’s borders have been closed for over a month and this has led to changes in the illegal drugs market, leading to those within organised crime ‘jockeying’ for position.

 

And if the lockdown remains in place throughout the summer, the chief constable believes it will lead to “significant difficulties for some people.”

 

The Drug and Alcohol Team at the Department of Health and Social Care, which has also been monitoring the situation, has seen a small rise in those struggling with addiction seeking its services.

 

At present, DAT currently issues 154 opioid replacement prescriptions.

 

“We have some anecdotes in the community where people have been fighting for control,” Mr Roberts says.

 

“But we would anticipate, the longer the border lockdown goes on, the supply will dry up a lot and then that poses different threats.

 

“If people are addicted and becoming ill then you’ve got the threat of robberies at pharmacies.”

 

It is understood there have been no incidents so far, but a chemist employee has been allegedly stealing drugs with the intention of selling them on.

 

While ‘ordinary crime’ such as shoplifting and pub incidents are non-existent during lockdown, Mr Roberts says a potential reconfiguration of the force could assign more officers to drugs trafficking, to be ‘ahead of the game’.

 

For the chief constable, who has previously said he would relish the chance to police the Island’s ports, he admits it will be ‘business as usual’ once the borders re-open.

 

“It [the border lockdown] has prompted discussions on how policing of the Island’s ports could be different.

 

“I wouldn’t expect, when the border opens up, things to be particularly different. But I think there’s now a will to have the discussion in a different way.”

 

He spoke to Local Democracy Reporter Aaron Ibanez:

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