(Hyndburn)
(Lab):...In the UK, we have seen rising purity levels
for cocaine, along with ease of supply and vibrant demand. My
constituents and their families are bearing the brunt of that.
Our own National Crime Agency identifies
Venezuela as a producer country and a major transit country for
cocaine coming to this country.
Early last month, The Times ran a warning headline: “Pure cocaine
fuels rise in drug deaths”. Deaths linked to cocaine jumped by
16% between 2015 and 2016 to a record high of 6.4 deaths per
million. That sharp rise was widely reported across all media.
The Office for National Statistics report said:
“The National Crime Agency reports that there
was a significant increase in both crack and powder cocaine
purity at all levels in 2016, including user-level, which may
partly explain the increase in deaths relating to cocaine.”
The Minister for Europe and the Americas (Sir Alan
Duncan):...That is exactly why the Government have
added Venezuela to our long-running serious and organised crime
programme, which already covers Colombia and Peru. The NCA and
its predecessor worked with Venezuela on counter-narcotics for 15
years and that work continues. As I am sure the hon. Gentleman
appreciates, however, drug policy is primarily the responsibility
of the Home Office, rather than the Foreign Office, so detailed
questions should be addressed to that Department...
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