Major Investigation Into the City's Drug Scene
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That very reel thing Feeling the power Reviewing the London The twelve times world Film Festival champion who put darts on the board EASY MONEYThe Independent Cambridge Student Newspaper since 1947 Major investigation into the city’s drug scene -The Big Issue sellers who deal drugs -Student purified street heroin in his bedroom -College porter involved in drugs and prostitution -Mitcham’s Corner, Drummer Street he and Mill Road Cemetery identified as he key pushing sites to Varsity profiles 5 central figures in the drugs community Alex, early 20s, Ben, mid 20s, Zeeshan, 22, Tom, 20, Ellie, 18, waitress coffee shop academic researcher Cambridge student university student manager student told a student identified as sites notorious include many of the city’s News Team reporter “Cambridge is one for buying Class A drugs. homeless, including those of the safest universities in Three of these are within 100 licensed to sell the Big Issue. arsity has run a major the country for the suppliers meters of student property. Even a college porter is Feature investigation into the to survive.” Another former During our investigation, alleged to be involved in a Vsale and exchange of student was surprised at undertaken over two weeks, web that extends beyond drugs in Cambridge. This how easily he could sell Varsity witnessed what the use and distribution of Poker fights and drug culture has no prevail- cocaine to Cambridge stu- appeared to be several drugs hard drugs to prostitution. ing pattern; like the dents: often up to half a transactions at Mitcham’s PC Phil Warren, who runs Wittgenstein: The secret University itself, it is ran- kilogram a week. Some drug corner and what appeared the city’s drug prevention dom and eccentric. Our dealers focus their efforts on to be the use of Class A drugs squad, confirmed “many Big history of Cambridge report finds that the drugs May Week. It is estimated in a public space, both Issue sellers have been taken most frequently by that students will pay before midnight and in areas arrested for selling drugs in students are marijuana and around £65 for a gram of clearly lit by streetlamps. the past.” Varsity was offered revealed cocaine, although all major cocaine, compared to a Several students have inti- “any weight of anything you Class A drugs are believed to national average of £40. mated that a drugs ring is like” from the home of on >>page 9 be taken by students in They are likely to pay run out of a popular coffee Big Issue seller and cannabis alarming capacities and all around £25 for an eighth of shop in the centre of town. by another. The Police con- drugs of every nature are cannabis compared to an Varsity also found that sur- firmed that every major said to be easily obtainable average of £20 in other com- prising numbers of students type of narcotic drug was across the city. Established parable cities. The city cen- were venturing into the use obtainable in the city. “crack” and heroin markets tre area around Drummer of ‘crack’ cocaine and hero- Cambridge students ques- exist in the city and many Street, the Arbury and in. They form a strong net- tioned in the investigation diverse groups are involved King’s Head estates, work that incorporates have often found the local in the organised distribution Mitcham’s Corner and the London dealers, local deal- 'street heroin' they buy... of these drugs. One former Mill Road Cemetery are ers and 'runners', said to >>continued on page 4 www.varsity.co.uk No. 627, Friday November 11, 2005 Bel Mooney features >8 Ego Mania Arts >16 Robots >10 2 Varsity News 11.11.05 MICHAEL news in brief Extremism motion DERRINGER their views to students. Intellectual Property Will Smith The proposal was met with crit- war continues icism from several members of the The Graduate Union has A CUSU Open Meeting this week audience, who thought the come down very firmly on failed to push through a “No motion would jeapordise free- the side of the University on Platform Policy” for extremist speech within the university, and the issue of intellectual groups, which would have pre- deny students the opportunity to property. Alex Broadbent vented them from making speech- challenge and discredit extremist (GU President) and Ruth es in the university. views through intelligent debate. Keeling (University Council The motion, brought by mem- But Shreya Mukund, the CUSU Librarians at the UL fear they could fall foul of terror legislation Member and former GU bers of CUSU, was initially passed Black Students Officer, questioned President) have co-authored with a clear majority, but could the importance of preserving free- a student flysheet urging the not be made official CUSU legisla- dom of speech when the “welfare Academic freedom threatened Regent House to adopt the tion as attendance at the meeting and security of students” was at Council's policy. was too low. However, it is set to risk. selling or otherwise disseminating anxieties: “As an academic and the be proposed to a CUSU meeting The majority of extremist Rachel Divall terrorist publications”, may make MP for a university town I am also A Midsummer Chef’s next week as an emergency meas- groups targeted by the motion are librarians liable; and Clause 6, concerned about the Bill’s implica- Dream ure. known to have been active on UK Academic freedom could be at risk which creates a new offence of tions for universities and academ- Midsummer House, the The aims of the resolve had campuses, and Jessica Kosmin if the Government’s controversial “providing training in skills rele- ic research. By pushing through French Mediterranean been to adopt a policy whereby from the National Union of Terrorism Bill is passed. vant to terrorist activity”, UUK feel such an unnecessarily wide and restaurant on Midsummer CUSU would “campaign against Students spoke of her personal Universities are concerned that is “unacceptably wide”. illiberal bill, the Government is Common, has been voted the attempts by any organisation experiences of Hizbt-ut-Tahrir and their staff could find themselves Higher Education Minister, Bill being complacent about political best restaurant outside of within the university to provide a Al-Muhajiroun intimidation, and liable under the proposed laws, Rammell, has told universities and academic freedom”. Cambridge in the Harpers platform to an individual or their attempts to recruit university which had their third reading in their fears are unfounded: The third reading of the Bill and Moët Awards 2005. organistaion deemed to pose a students. the Commons this week. Whilst “Academics have no need to be took place yesterday and although www.midsummerhouse.co.uk threat to the welfare and security The “No Platform” proposal fol- media attention has focused on concerned, the key proposal is the MP Alistair Carmichael brought of our members.” The agenda lowed an earlier motion at the the length of time terror suspects intention of the person who acts up the issue of academic freedom, Digital books notes of the meeting named the meeting that sought to give CUSU could be detained without charge, or by their statement seems to no alterations were made. A Press Microsoft has announced right-wing groups the BNP, the a united stance against the contin- there is growing concern from the incite others to commit acts of ter- Officer for David Howarth said the that it will help digitize National Front and Combat 18 ued occupation of Iraq. academic world about the wider rorism. I don’t think within that problem had been that “the 100,000 books for the British along with Islamic extremist The resolve, proposed by Dan effects of the Bill. context that there is anything Government had not allowed Library. The company says organisations such as Al- Swain of the Cambridge Professor Drummond Bone, legitimate academic freedom has enough time to discuss the Bill in that once particular techno- Muhajiroun and Hizb-ut-Tahrir as University Respect Party, was President of Universities UK to fear”. the report stage, so sections relat- logical developments are those they would ban. rejected by students. Members of (UUK), told Varsity that although Universities remain uncon- ing to academic freedom were not made, books and documents Jenni Woolf, the CUSU Anti- the audience criticised the motion the organisation supported the vinced. Peter Fox, Head Librarian reached within the time allowed will be available on the Racism Officer who proposed the as having “nothing to do with “general thrust” of the proposals, of Cambridge University Library, and the chance to debate was British Library’s website and motion, spoke of the need to pro- CUSU” and suggested CUSU “the Bill is drafted in such a way told Varsity the UUK’s fears were lost”. on an MSN book search tect students from speakers who “should have proper issues to do that it might well get in the way of legitimate: “The Bill has potential- Although UUK issued new service. The project has sought to incite hatred on the with Cambridge”. normal academic work. The loose ly very serious consequences for guidelines this week to universi- already been underway for grounds or religion, race or sexu- Swain told Varsity he was “dis- drafting of the Bill does cause us librarians. The University Library ties about how to tackle campus some time but Microsoft are ality, and stressed that students appointed” that the motion failed, concern”. is working with colleagues nation- extremism, university leaders are investing £1.4 million which should be able to study “free from but admitted that it was UUK are particularly anxious ally to lobby MPs and Peers to get concerned that the terror bill is will speed up the process fear”.