A north Wales police boss is calling for a pilot scheme to be set up in north Wales to give prescribed heroin to drug addicts.

According to the region’s police and crime commissioner, Arfon Jones, the introduction of Heroin Assisted Treatment would save lives, reduce crime, cut costs and reduce the scale of the illicit drug market.

A similar scheme is being launched in Cleveland in the Autumn by the police and health authorities in with the blessing of Home Secretary Sajid Javid who is allowing it to go ahead under licence.

It will see people with problematic drug use being given medical-grade heroin – diamorphine – at special centres where they can inject themselves twice a day, seven days a week. The aim is to cure the most drug-dependent addicts by giving them access to medical and other specialist staff.

It has been estimated the scheme will cost about £12,000 a year for each addict.

Mr Jones believes a pilot in north Wales should be funded by the Area Planning Board, which together with the health board, has an annual budget of £10 million a year to spend on schemes aimed at combating substance abuse, including alcohol.

Mr Jones, a former police inspector, was speaking at a conference organised by the Welsh Association of Community Safety Officers in Newport.

He said: “Reducing criminal exploitation of vulnerable people is the overarching priority of my Police and Crime Plan so I am delighted to be here.

“In my view, the current method of tackling organised crime through the Criminal Justice System has not been effective.

“Once one group has been removed, another replaces it within days, or even hours which inevitably leads to further violence and exploitation.

“Trying to arrest our way out of responding for the demand for drugs is not working and quite frankly hasn’t been working for a long, long time.

“There are also clear benefits to the Criminal Justice System. Heroin Assisted Treatment has been proven to reduce acquisitive crime considerably.

“This is a perfect example I believe where pooled budgets could make a significant difference to partnership working and where the Welsh Government can play such a crucial role in putting together a funding package.

“Working together in effective partnership will help us all to meet the financial challenges we face whilst providing more effective support to people ensnared by problematic drug abuse and striking a blow against the illicit drugs trade.”