GWENT'S top police officer has branded treatment services for drug addicts "grossly inadequate".

Chief Constable Keith Turner (pictured) also said that heroin and crack cocaine in the area had never been as readily available or as cheap.

He said: "In Gwent there are approximately 280 addicts registered for treatment. However, there is currently about a nine-month waiting- list to enter a treatment regime. "Obviously the number of dependent addicts on heroin and crack cocaine is much higher than indicated above.

"A conservative estimate suggests that last year at least 23 people died in Gwent as a result of drug overdoses."

Now Mr Turner and the chief constables of the South Wales and Dyfed Powys forces plan to address the problem of lack of treatment services. A detailed implementation plan of what action will be taken has yet to be drawn up.

Mr Turner has also criticised the framework established by the Welsh substance misuse strategy.

The focuses of the strategy include helping young people to resist drugs, and improving treatment.

He added: "The success of the Welsh Substance Misuse Strategy is seriously threatened by the lack of integration of effort and lack of clarity over the roles and responsibilities of key agencies and individuals.

"There appears to be a lack of accountability for delivering the whole elements within the strategy.

"It must be stressed that this initiative by the three chief constables is in no way intended to directly threaten or embarrass other agencies.

"Challenge, yes, but not threaten or embarrass. "However, it is essential these observations are made, because it is so plain that enforcement activity without proper treatment for addicts, without proper education for young people and without proper support for parents and communities, will not succeed in holding back the spread of heroin and crack cocaine and the associated threat from organised crime gangs."