Cocaine use is an increasing problem

The pledge coincided with the launch of a new drugs strategy at the annual conference of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpos) in Dunblane, Stirling on Tuesday.

It aims to cut drugs supply by reducing the availability of drugs, cutting demand through education and supporting police initiatives to reduce drug-related harm.

The conference also heard how there had been a 173% increase in the recovery of Class A drugs in recent years.

Acpos chairman and Chief Constable of Central Scotland Police, Andrew Cameron, said: "There is no doubt that cocaine, particularly crack cocaine, is a challenge.

'Burgeoning problem'

"Illicit drugs of all kinds are a challenge not just to the Scottish Police Services but to Scotland as a whole as a country."

Mr Cameron told delegates that there were 322 drug-related deaths north of the border in 2001 and said drug abuse currently cost the UK as a whole �4bn a year in sickness and crime.

He said cocaine use across Europe was now a "burgeoning problem" and transactions involving hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, which sells for up to �30,000 a kilogram, had taken place in Scotland

Andrew Cameron: "We are ready for the challenges"

The ACPOS chairman added: "The Scottish Police Service is very well placed to take on criminals who supply controlled drugs to our communities.

"Cocaine is indeed a challenge, drugs are a challenge and we are ready for the challenges and accept the responsibility."

Delegates also heard that illegal drug users in the UK now spent �6.6bn on their habit each year - four times more than the entire country spent on legitimate medicines.

During his speech, the Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry criticised politicians who called for the legalisation of drugs saying such arguments made police work more difficult.

Mr Henry used the conference to launch the Scottish Executive's new 'Know the Score' drugs information leaflet highlighting the dangers of cocaine.

"We know the impact which crack cocaine has had in communities in the UK and abroad and I do not want this drug to have a similar impact in Scotland," he said.

Mr Henry said a new �200,000 pilot project would soon be set up in the Aberdeen area to research the effect of cocaine on users and local services.