Pubdate: Wed, 02 Aug 2000
Source: Times, The (UK)
Copyright: 2000 Times Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  PO Box 496, London E1 9XN, United Kingdom
Fax: +44-(0)171-782 5046
Website: http://www.the-times.co.uk/
Author: Ian Brodie

U.S. DRUG TSAR FIGHTS ECSTACY FROM EUROPE

AMERICA authorities have started a campaign to stop Ecstasy flooding in
from Europe. Barry McCaffrey, President Clinton's drug "tsar", announced a
radio and Internet advertising drive against the growing popularity of the
drug among young people.

"They're calling it the 'hug drug', but Ecstasy is actually a powerful and
destructive substance that can wreck mind and body," Mr McCaffrey said.

The US Customs Service has intensified an aggressive enforcement programme
to curb the rise in sales and use of the drug. A new task force will
concentrate on finding Ecstasy at airports and will help to educate parents
and young people about its dangers.

The government initiatives coincided with a three-day conference in
Washington organised by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for 350
American and international drug enforcement officials and abuse prevention
experts.

Their goal was to share ideas on combating Ecstasy and other "club drugs"
such as ketamine hydrochloride, an anaesthetic known as Special K, and
methamphetamine, the stimulant known as speed.

US officials admitted that they were initially caught unawares by large
amounts of Ecstasy arriving on flights from Europe, where most of it is
manufactured.

Until now, America's main efforts against illegal drugs have looked to the
cocaine and heroin routes from Latin America.

In recent months US Customs have stepped up seizures of Ecstasy, which was
made illegal in 1985. Nearly eight million pills have been confiscated so
far this year, 20 times the amount that was seized in the whole of 1998.

Last week federal agents in Los Angeles had their greatest Ecstasy haul,
2.1 million pills valued at $40 million (UKP 26.6 million). Four men were
arrested but the alleged head of the ring, an Israeli, remains a fugitive.

According to US narcotics detectives, Israeli-organised crime syndicates,
some composed of Russian emigrants, have forged links with Ecstasy
traffickers in Europe and have gained control over much of the market
there. In turn, the syndicates are the primary source for US supplies.

Donnie Marshall, the head of the DEA, described the growth of Ecstasy as
"the most frightening trend" he had seen in his 30-year career. He said
that the drug had rapidly spread from New York and Los Angeles to middle
sized towns throughout America.

As in Europe, Ecstasy is most commonly used in the US at all-night raves.
The price is high, between $35 and $40 a tablet. Last year, according to a
study, 8 per cent of 18-year-olds had used the drug at least once. This
figure was up from the figure in a similar survey carried out in 1998.

Mr McCaffrey acknowledged that additional research was needed on the
effects of Ecstasy, but he said that more than enough was already known to
recognise that the drug was dangerous.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Eric Ernst