I am in no doubt that the momentum and partnerships gained during the first year of the SDEA's existence will continue

SDEA director Jim Orr

Scotland's first dedicated organisation set up to tackle drugs came into force on 1 June last year.

Director Jim Orr presented his first annual report to all eight Scottish chief constables on Monday.

It said that successes during the last 12 months included the seizure in Estonia of 20 kilos of opium destined for Scotland.

Officers recovered 55 kilos of heroin and cocaine, 66,614 ecstasy tablets, seven firearms, 750 rounds of ammunition, �7,100 in cash and stolen property valued at �9,000 over the year.

The report said that a main supply route to the north east had been cut off, while a trafficking corridor between Scotland and the Republic of Ireland had been discovered.

Ecstasy is among the drugs seized by the DEA

The report highlighted the agency's role in developing a framework for other forces to tackle crime, and its work to establish a Scottish Intelligence Database.

It also tells how the agency's Financial Investigation Unit has worked with clearing banks and financial institutions in Scotland to investigate the financial profiles of organised crime factions.

More than �700,000 of assets were restrained after the unit submitted nine financial profiles to the Crown Office.

Mr Orr said: "For the first time, a true picture of the extent of drug trafficking and other serious and organised crime in Scotland is beginning to emerge.

'Busy and successful'

"A substantial increase in SDEA resources involved in intelligence and financial investigative work has led to more effective targeting or those criminals posing the greatest risk to Scottish communities.

"Central to this achievement has been the development of systems and practices to enhance co-ordination of effort, both in terms of enforcement and preventative work."

He said the last 12 months had been "busy and successful".

But he added: "Much work lies ahead to consolidate and focus the organisation to effectively sustain its impact on drug trafficking and other forms of serious and organised crime in Scotland.

Activists say heroin is still flooding communities

"I am in no doubt that the momentum and partnerships gained during the first year of the SDEA's existence will continue."

However, the Scottish Drugs Forum said organised gangs seemed able to re-establish themselves quickly.

And Jim Docherty of Gallowgate Family Support said a lot of heroin still seemed to be coming into the country.

"It is not making a lot of difference down here at street level," he said.

"There is still the same availability of heroin, there has not been an increase in price.

"The communities are flooded with heroin - it does not make a lot of difference."