Pubdate: Mon, 19 Apr 2010
Source: Daily Record (UK)
Copyright: 2010 Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/111

SCOTS POLICE MAKE FIRST ARRESTS FOR MEPHEDRONE  POSSESSION SINCE DRUG
BAN WAS INTRODUCED

THE first arrests in connection with possession of the  newly-banned
drug mephedrone have been made in  Scotland.

Two men were arrested three hours and 39 minutes after  the
reclassification of the drug came into force on  Friday morning,
Grampian Police said.

Lothian and Borders Police also said a 26-year-old man  is due to
appear in court on suspicion of possession of  the substance, which is
now a Class B drug.

He was arrested following a search of an address in  Niddrie Mill
Crescent in Edinburgh on Friday.

Grampian Police said a 25-year-old man and a  23-year-old man, both
from Aberdeen, were arrested in  Aberdeen city centre at 3.40am on
Friday.

The 25-year-old was charged in connection with  possession of
mephedrone and possession with intent to  supply.

He is expected to appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court
tomorrow.

The 23-year-old was charged in connection with  possession of the drug
and is expected to appear at  court at a later date.

A 23-year-old man was also arrested by Lothian and  Borders Police
after they found around 450 grams of  heroin with an estimated value
of #45,000 during a  search in Niddrie Marischal Crescent in Edinburgh
at  around 9am on Friday.

The man is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff  Court
tomorrow.

A spokesman for the force said: "Crime gangs should by  now be getting
the message that we will not tolerate  their illegal operations and
will shut them down at any  opportunity.

"The wealth of intelligence we receive in relation to  drug-related
criminal activity is indicative of the  attitude of our communities,
who are tired of these  individuals and the affect they have on local
area.

"As always, we are grateful to the public for their  assistance and
would urge anyone with information  relating to drugs in their area to
come forward.

"We would also like to remind people that mephedrone is  now a banned
substance and if found in possession of  it, you will be arrested and
charged with a drugs  offence."

Those caught in possession of the party drug could face  conviction
and a possible five years in prison. The  maximum sentence for dealing
or trafficking the  substance is 14 years.

The move to ban mephedrone came despite the resignation  of two
government drugs advisers over the issue.

Earlier this month, Eric Carlin followed Dr Polly  Taylor in stepping
down from the Advisory Council on  the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD).

In a letter of resignation, Mr Carlin said the decision  to ban the
drug was made despite there being "little or  no discussion about how
our recommendation to classify  this drug would be likely to impact on
young people's  behaviour".

He added: "Our decision was unduly based on media and  political
pressure."

Calls for mephedrone to be made illegal followed a  series of reports
linking it to deaths across England  and Scotland. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D