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Home Office

Answer

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking in conjunction with other EU countries to curtail the trade in narcotics. [82935] Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The United Kingdom (UK) has a strategy to counter drug trafficking through end-to-end enforcement policies, concentrating on class A drugs as the drugs which cause greatest harm. In doing this we work closely with other European Union (EU) countries in preventing drugs from entering both the EU and the UK. We have drug liaison officers in most EU member states and have provided assistance to EU candidate countries in their development of drug strategies and enforcement capabilities. We are planning to post drug liaison officers to some of these countries too. The UK played a major role in the mid-term review of the EU Drugs Action Plan, which sets out the EU Drug Strategy. The review concluded that there is a need for more concerted action at EU level on the most significant drugs and this should be done to tighter deadlines. It makes clear the need for continuing work in Afghanistan to eliminate the poppy crop, an area in which the UK has been co-ordinating international efforts. The UK has co-sponsored with other member states an EU Framework Decision on joint investigation teams, which provides a formal basis for closer co- operation between EU member states' criminal investigation authorities. The UK is also pushing hard for an agreement on a Framework Decision which will establish common definitions for offences and penalties for trafficking drugs and precursor chemicals in the EU. Information and analysed intelligence on drug trafficking and related money laundering is collated and provided by Europol which acts in support of EU member states' law enforcement agencies.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

82935; 396 c115W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Crime prevention Drugs International cooperation EU action Trade Smuggling

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk