GUERNSEY is not going to go soft on Class B drugs.

A total with a value of £465,931 was seized last year. The drugs trade is criminally run from beginning to end, particularly in a Guernsey situation,’ said Customs chief officer Rob Prow.

‘A lot of drug traffickers are multi-commodity and will trade in class A and B drugs.’

His service’s annual report said cannabis was the most widely abused drug in the Bailiwick, making up 65% of seizures in 2005.

It is the drug that is imported in the greatest quantities and the amounts appear to be steadily rising. Large seizures are predominantly linked to targeted operations undertaken by the service.

A total of 79.5kg of cannabis resin, with a street value of £438,470, was seized last year. One operation centred on the activities of a locally-based syndicate.

After a lengthy covert operation with the French Customs Service, four arrests resulted in the discovery of 19.5kg of cannabis resin and 100g of cocaine with a street value in excess of £165,000. A boat used to import the drugs from France was seized and each defendant jailed for 10 years.

Over the past three years there have been a significant number of people convicted in the Royal Court in relation to importing more than one drug type.

‘This reflects the difficulty in focusing predominantly on class A. It would also suggest that the cannabis market is heavily interwoven with the supply chain for class A drugs,’ the report says.

Amphetamine is not believed to be heavily abused in the island. Most commercial seizures have been intercepted as part of a larger shipment, usually with cannabis resin being the prevalent drug. In 2005, the service confiscated 2,146 tablets of a type not seen before, with a street value of £26,825.

n Seizures of heroin are rising.

The amount last year increased by 35% on the previous one.

During 2005, there were 12 seizures of diamorphine – a total of 188.6g with a total average street value of £47,146.

The report says that through joint targeting, five commercial quantities of this drug were seized – dismantling two syndicates.

The predominant methods of importation were internal concealment and letter post. As a result of the 2004 successes, internal concealments once again became the favoured method of import in 2005.

‘The service remains vigilant at both the post office and ports to counter each of the threats.’

Heroin is accompanied by a dramatic rise in secondary crime (theft, burglary etc.) perpetuated by users desperate to fund their habit.

The service and police have a joint policy to control damage caused by the drug. About three years ago, heroin was made the top targeting priority.

Quantities of heroin being seized in the Bailiwick remain relatively small compared with elsewhere. Syndicates target the Bailiwick, primarily due to the street price of the drug compared the UK.