Students urged to 'rat' on dealers

Police are worried by an increase in heroin and crack use

Students starting a new term at a mid Wales university are being urged to join a campaign to grass on drug dealers.

The "rat on a rat" campaign encourages people to tell police about dealers via a confidential hotline.

It has already proved successful in the Swansea area and has now been extended to cover the Dyfed-Powys Police region.

Police are concerned at the increase in the use of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine throughout Ceredigion and Powys.

We have always got to be careful about outsiders...coming here to try and sell drugs to students Senior tutor Gareth Jones

They have chosen to launch the campaign at University of Wales Aberystwyth's Freshers Fair, where 8,000 students will be asked to take part.

The Swansea campaign has resulted in the seizure of drugs worth £144,000 and 70 arrests during the past year.

Public support

"Drugs kill. They cause severe physical and mental health problems and cause severe misery to the users and their families," said Chief Inspector Mike Donovan of Dyfed-Powys Police.

The campaign has seen drugs worth £144,000 seized in Swansea

"Drug-taking means the amount of crime increases in the community because drug users can become violent and have to steal on a daily basis in order to fund their habits."

"But we can only be successful through the support of the public giving us the information that we need to tackle the drug dealers."

Meilir Emrys, president of Aberystwyth Guild of Students, said: "Although the problem in Aberystwyth may not be as bad as some other areas it is important that we stop the problem before it gets out of control."

"We are backing the police's initiative and we want our anti-drugs campaign unit to liaise with them in the future."

Gareth Jones, UCW Aberystwyth's senior tutor, said the university did not have a major drug problem, but welcomed the scheme.

"We have always got to be careful about outsiders such as people from England coming here to try and sell drugs to students," he said.

Anyone with information about drug dealers can ring 0800 555111 to pass on information anonymously.