THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE DRUG SQUAD IS THE OLDEST AUSTRALIAN DRUG SQUAD. ITS FORMATION CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF THE INITIATIVE OF JAMES MITCHELL, WHO WAS COMMISSIONER OF POLICE FOR THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES. THE DRUG BUREAU WAS FORMED AT THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION BRANCH LOCATED IN SYDNEY. THE POWER OF THE POLICE TO ACT IN DRUG CASES WAS HEIGHTENED BY PASSAGE OF 1927 LEGISLATION WHICH WAS IN CONFORMITY WITH VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS RELATING TO CONTROL OF OPIUM AND OTHER HABIT-FORMING DRUGS. DURING THE 1930'S, THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ADDICTION WORSENED. IN 1939, POLICE COMMISSIONERS OF ALL THE AUSTRALIAN STATES AGREED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRAL DRUG BUREAU AT SYDNEY. DURING THE 1950'S THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SERIOUS AUSTRALIAN DRUG TRAFFICKING, BUT IN THE MID-1960S THE BEGINNING OF WIDESPREAD DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. IN 1972, THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS FOR DRUG OFFENSES WAS 1,382, AN INCREASE OF 145 PERCENT SINCE 1968. IN RESPONSE TO THIS ESCALATING PROBLEM, THE DRUG SQUAD BEGAN TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG, TO WARN THEM OF THE DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE. THE PRINCIPAL FUNCTION OF THE DRUG SQUAD IS TO ENFORCE STATE DRUG LAWS DILIGENTLY, EFFECTIVELY, AND HUMANELY AND TO COOPERATE WITH INTERSTATE, FEDERAL, AND OVERSEAS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. STATISTICAL TABLES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP).