Abstract
This article examines the impact of low-level police enforcement on two British drug markets, and the adaptations to enforcement made by sellers and buyers. The two markets took very different forms. One was tightly controlled by a small number of middle-level dealers, and highly structured. The structure and control worked effectively to minimise risks posed by law enforcement. The other market was very loosely structured, with little control exercised on retail sellers by middle-level dealers. This lack of organisation posed different sets of problems for law enforcement. The article examines the potential for developing the role of police sources (informants) in disrupting drug markets of both sorts. It also argues the need for provision in parallel of local treatment facilities for drug users.
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May, T., Hough, M. Illegal Dealings: The Impact of Low-Level Police Enforcement on Drug Markets. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 9, 137–162 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011201112490
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011201112490