Blair signals drugs crackdown

Mr Blair: determined to fight the "drugs menace"

Police and the courts are to be given tough new powers to win the war on drugs in a crackdown being planned by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Hard-hitting measures including stronger powers to confiscate drug dealers' assets, will be included in a bill to be unveiled in the next Queen's Speech.

Mr Blair told the BBC that the Drugs Bill will also give sweeping powers for EU-wide passport confiscation from anyone convicted of a drug offence.

There will also be tougher regulation of club bouncers and greater help for rehabilitation and treatment of addicts.

And the prime minister is also planning to reappoint drugs czar Keith Hellawell for another three-year term, in a ringing endorsement of his work so far.

'Parents are petrified'

Mr Blair told the Sunday Express: "We have got to crack down very, very hard on the drugs industry.

"Parents are petrified about drugs. A problem as big as this needs radical thinking and action."

About 128,000 drug offenders were either cautioned, fined or jailed in 1998 - a rise of 13% on the previous year, according to figures released last month.

Last month Mr Blair told the Commons: "There is no more serious problem than the link between crime and drugs.

"The drug menace is one we are determined to fight at every single level, through tougher measures in the law, better provision in the courts, better education in our schools and better treatment for drug offenders."

One of the key performance targets of Mr Hellawell's 10-year anti-drugs strategy is to reduce drug-related crime by 25% by 2005 and 50% by 2008.