National Drugs Intelligence Unit
| Author | David Stockley |
| Published date | 01 October 1988 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X8806100402 |
| Date | 01 October 1988 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
DAVID STOCKLEY LL.M
Detective
Chief
Superintendent
Assistant Co-Ordinator
National Drugs Intelligent Unit
Served 3-1/2 years as Deputy Head of the Metropolitan Police Central Drug Squad. During
this time he was seconded to the Bahamas (between November 1983 and July 1984) as an
investigator to assist a Commission of Inquiry into drug trafficking from South America to
the USA using theBahamas as atranshipment point. Theinquiry also included investigating
allegations of involvement by public officials including members of the Bahamian
Government. He was promoted Detective Chief Superintendent in April 1986 and has since
served in the National Drugs Intelligence Unit during the major part of its development.
Any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and should not be
attributed to the NDIC, Metropolitan Police or Home Office.
NATIONAL DRUGS
INTELLIGENCE UNIT
History
Drugs intelligence has been collected on a national basis in the United
Kingdom since 1973. During theearly 1970's theabuse
of
illicitdrugs and
its associated problems prompted areview by the Association of Chief
Police Officers (ACPO) on their arrangements for dealing with drug-
related offences.
At that time there was undoubtedly a link betweenillegal immigration
on an organized scale and trafficking in drugs - cannabis in particular.
Againstthis background ACPO recommended to the Home Secretary the
need for a central agency to deal with intelligence in respect
of
drug
trafficking and illegal immigration and on March 12, 1973 the Central
Drugs and Illegal Immigration Intelligence Unit was established.
The purpose of this unit was detailed in a Home Office circular and
may be summarized as'follows:-
(i) to receive, collate, evaluate and disseminate information relative to
known and suspected offenders,
(ii) to transmitto the appropriatepointineach police force any available
information relevant to police operations in that force area,
(iii) to work in liaison with other enforcement agencies in those fields,
notably HM Customs and Home Office Drugs Branch,
(iv) to provide achannel for general communication between British
police forces and overseas enforcement agencies, and through the
NationalCentral BureauofInterpol,be the channelfor contacts with
foreign police forces in drugs cases,
(v) to provide a24-hour service.
The staff
ofthe
unitconsistedof21 policeofficers, one customs officerand
October1988 295
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