Police tackle open-air cocaine market

SAO PAULO (AP):

Brazilian police said yesterday they have doubled the number of officers assigned to a haven for crack cocaine addicts as they battle a growing drug epidemic in South America's biggest city.

Police commander Alvaro Batista Camilo told reporters that close to 300 policemen have been deployed to clean up 'Cracolandia', 'Crackland', an open-air crack cocaine market in the heart of Sao Paulo.

Cracolandia occupies roughly 10 blocks where addicts gather by the hundreds or break off into smaller bands, smoking crack.

Antonio Ferreira Pinto, the head of the Sao Paulo state public safety department, said in a statement that 60 people have been arrested since the anti-crack campaign began this month.

Pinto said police will remain in the area "for as long as it takes" to provide security for social workers, medical teams and drug rehabilitation experts.

Excessive force

Police have used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse large groups of addicts that wander around Cracolandia and nearby areas. But the drug users have returned within hours.

State prosecutors have called for an investigation into what they say is the use of excessive force by police.

Prosecutor Eduardo Valerio said the campaign undermines efforts to help addicts.