Scotland's elite crimebusters are tackling drug dealers by seizing bulking agents they use to drive up profits.

08:14 Scotland's elite crimebusters are tackling drug dealers by seizing bulking agents they use to drive up profits. 0 Comments

Last year the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency grabbed more than 200 kilos of a dental anaesthetic used to cut into cocaine.
The benzocaine could have been used to produce more than 230 kilos of street coke - with a value of £9.5 million.
Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Mole, head of the SCDEA's Investigations Group, warned coke users have no idea what they are snorting as purity levels can be just five per cent.
He told the Record: "The dealers need adulterants to make the money. But by the time people buy it, there might be hardly any cocaine in it.
"The adulterants and mixing agents are designed to look like cocaine and replicate the effect.
"They could be benzocaine, they could be paracetamol, they could even be ketamine, which is a horse drug."
In his first interview since joining the agency, Mole - a former head of Special Branch at Greater Manchester Police - said he knew of cases where brick dust and rat poison were used as bulking agents.
He added: "Your average six kilos of high quality cocaine could be broken down enough to produce 90 kilos.
"Good quality cocaine, say 70 per cent pure, has the potential to be broken down to that level.
"We have seen, on analysis, a five per cent street deal."
But the process of diluting cocaine after it arrives in the UK from South America means users are taking a massive risk.
And he urged them to think of the human misery and environmental damage behind every line of coke.
Mole said: "Some people will drive their eco-friendly cars and use energy saving light bulbs and yet they snort cocaine.
"They are actually doing 10 times more damage when they snort cocaine in producing countries, such as Colombia."
Benzocaine, which is also used in medical and sunburn remedies, is easily available online. Prices range from £1000 to almost £4000 for a 25 kilo drum.
China is a leading producer of the legal drug, which mimics the numbing sensation of cocaine.
This is the first year the SCDEA have recorded the amount of benzocaine seized and the total haul for 2010/11 was 217 kilos.
The UK Border Agency are watching for benzocaine drums at ports and airports, where it is often disguised by false labels.
Demand for cocaine has soared since 2000 and is now cheaper and widely available.
A five gram wrap can now be bought on the streets of Scotland for as little as £9. Last year the United Nations identified Scotland as the country with the biggest per head cocaine habit in the world.
Top cop Mole said the SCDEA are focused on putting criminals out of business.
He said: "If it's best to take the drugs out, we take the drugs out.
"If it's best to take the adulterants out, we do that. If it's best to take the cash, we take the cash.
"Disruption is what we are trying to achieve."
RISKS ARE HUGE
Adulterants found in Scottish cocaine samples include:
Benzocaine - a local anaesthetic. It increase the risk of choking.
Lignocaine - can cause seizures and blurred vision.
Levamisole - livestock wormer.
Procaine - a dental anaesthetic.
Phenacetin - no longer used as an anaesthetic due to adverse effects, such as renal disease, cancer and kidney damage.
Paracetamol - common over-the-counter medicine for headaches and minor aches and pains. Acute overdoses can cause fatal damage to the liver.