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Dr Kim Howells |
New routes to get drugs to West End
Cocaine smugglers go round world
INTERNATIONAL cocaine smugglers have established new and complicated round-the-world routes following rocketing demand in the West End.
The drugs are shipped from the mouth of the Orinoko, after leaving Columbia, before sailing to North Africa. They are smuggled through borders to Nairobi where they are flown into London.
Foreign Minister Dr Kim Howells, speaking in Soho on Wednesday, told how a recent trip to Afghanistan revealed “very worrying” intelligence about the flow of cocaine to London.
The outspoken Labour Minister revealed the secret drug map used by cocaine smugglers to reach London undetected.
He said: “I was told some very worrying information that has led us to believe much of it is coming from other countries.
“Cartels are leaving Columbia for Venezuela, travelling down the Orinoco and being shipped by people smugglers into West Africa.
“The Columbians have bought off officials there. It then either travels up to North Africa or is shipped around the Cape of Good Hope to Mombassa and then to Nairobi.
“There are 22 flights a day from Nairobi to London.”
The cabinet minister said high-ranking officials in Columbia were “disappointed” that London drug squads were not doing more to stamp out demand in central London.
Dr Howells said: “When I speak to the Columbian governmentthey ask why we are not doing more to stop demand. They say all we see from England is pictures of rock stars in the West End snorting cocaine up their noses.”
He added: “There is a special problem in Westminster.”
Dr Howell’s fears the complex drug routes is increasing supply to the West End follows a dawn raid by vice cops on coke dealers in Gerrard Street.
Sixteen people were arrested in the intelligence-led dawn raid on the drug hotspot.
Commander Steve Allen said: “These individuals travel into central London to make their profits from selling class A drugs.”
Six are being held on suspicion of drug dealing and 10 for suspected possession of drugs.
The spokesman said patrols would be stepped up to “provide visible reassurance to businesses and the thousands of people who visit the area.” |
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