CRACK cocaine poses a major drugs threat to Guernsey. Customs seized 440 grams of it in one intelligence-led operation last year. In all, it accounted for 20% of the total value of drugs seized.

‘This is Guernsey’s most significant seizure of cocaine in this highly addictive form,’ said Customs chief officer Rob Prow in the service’s annual report.

‘We believe it was an attempt to introduce crack cocaine into Guernsey, which is of extreme concern. The syndicate must have believed they could find a market for it.

‘Initially, the potential outlet would have been cannabis users already supplied by the syndicate,’ he said.

‘Had this smuggling attempt been successful, it could have had catastrophic implications in such a small community.

‘Drug agencies would have had to address a high increase in the number of people requiring treatment through addiction, let alone the acquisitive crime the local drug fraternity would have committed to fund an addiction to crack.’

Mr Prow said that the drug seized was 48% pure.

Crack cocaine has previously been associated with heroin users. Attempted importation of it on a commercial basis had occurred only once before. That was in April 2002 when a woman attempted to import two ounces of heroin and two ounces of crack.

Another seizure last year involved two people caught importing both drugs internally – showing a close connection between the types.

‘It would appear that the local heroin addicts could quickly be converted from one drug type to another if regular shipments were to be smuggled in,’ the report said.

Mr Prow said that crack cocaine addiction resulted in greater harm to a community because the habit was more expensive to support than heroin.

The annual report highlighted that in recent years the service had only seized small quantities of cocaine, indicating that there was a relatively small user base for the drug.

But in 2005, an attempt was made to bring in 100 grams from Europe, together with a commercial amount of cannabis.

‘It would appear that the Bailiwick has a select market for this drug type. Indications suggest that the demand for this drug is on the increase, therefore we are expecting to detect more seizures on a commercial basis,’ said Mr Prow.

During 2005, the service also made other significant seizures of Class A drugs – 188 grams of heroin with a total street value of more than £47,000 and 6,226 Ecstasy tablets worth in excess of £93,000.

‘This has got to be of great concern, but street prices remain very high for all drugs, which is an indicator that they are harder to get hold of here than other places,’ said Mr Prow.

But he did have some words of comfort.

‘While there has got to be concerns, the levels are nowhere near those in towns and cities in the UK,’ he said.

In total last year, the service made 88 seizures of controlled drugs with a street value of £773,951.