Boris Johnson to crack down on drug dealers in £300 million government plan
'Operation Toxic' will tackle drug gangs on county lines
Last updated 27th May 2022
Boris Johnson has vowed to crack down on drug users and dealers in a £300 million pledge to tackle drug supply in the UK.
The Prime Minister said that the government was doing its best to address the issue of drugs in the country, ahead of the unveiling of its 10-year plan to combat drug use.
In total, the initiative will cost £300 million to stem the flow of drugs into the UK. If successful, the scheme will save the British public £20 billion per year.
The Home Office has estimated that around 300,000 addicts to heroin and crack cocaine are fuelling the narcotics problem, accounting for nearly half of crimes including burglary and robbery.
Speaking ahead of the unveiling of 'Operation Toxic' in Liverpool, Prime Minister Johnson said that he was committed to ending the "disgusting" drugs trade.
"I take the view that it is a long time really since you heard a government say that drugs - Class A drugs - are bad and bad for society, bad for opportunity, bad for kids growing up in this country," he said.
"That's my view, and I think it is something we can tackle, something we can deal with."
Ministers are set to announce an aggressive campaign to tackle drug gangs and to cut the supply of city-based criminals to countryside areas.
Under the new rules, dealers who are caught will have their phones seized and police officers will use them to discourage users and point them in the way of support.
As well as this, new powers will be given to police to test for drugs on arrest, directing those who test positive towards interventions and treatment.
The announcement comes as ministers debate whether to stem the number of middle-class drug users by revoking their passports and driving licences. However, this has yet to be formally agreed.