[holding answer 22 February 2008]: The 2002 update to the UK’s Drug Strategy highlighted knowledge gaps in relation to the dynamics of the illegal drug markets. In particular, there was a dearth of evidence on the supply chain from importation to street-level sale; the routes and methods used to supply the market; and, the way in which interventions affected the key players in the supply chain.
By interviewing a sample of convicted drug traffickers and dealers, the study commissioned by the Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS) aimed to fill this gap in the knowledge base and provide us with a crucial insight into the dynamics of the drug market.
The findings from the research, which have been published, includes information on how dealers and traffickers enter the market, how they run their enterprises and how they respond to the risks they perceive. The findings are very useful for the further development of policy and practice to disrupt the supply of illegal drugs.