Heroin use is a massive problem in Brighton. This year alone, 35 people have died from illicit drug use. Twenty-seven of them were heroin addicts.

Figures released by East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority show about 1,500 to 2,000 heroin users live in the towns.

And according to Superintendent Andy Bliss, at least 60 per cent of burglaries in Brighton are committed by addicts.

While at least ten of 30 regular beggars in Brighton who took part in a recent police survey admitted they spend the money collected on the streets on heroin, police are trying to reduce the influx of the drug into the town, and prosecute people for possession.

Drug testing orders are about to be introduced, which will mean that after people have been arrested, they will be asked to provide urine samples so drug users can be identified and then referred to support schemes and agencies.

One of those schemes is Get It While You Can. It offers drug users the chance to kick their habit.

The scheme, which was set up in 1994, has been so successful, it is set to be adopted by every police custody site in the country by next April.

Supt Bliss, the divisional commander for Brighton, said: "While not all beggars are heroin addicts, there is a fairly significant problem with heroin in Brighton and Hove. But it's not as serious as in inner-city areas. It's fair to say that after alcohol it is the most problematic drug here.

"Addicts will look for money to buy more heroin, so it tends to be linked to acquisitive crime. About 60 per cent of burglaries in Brighton are committed by heroin addicts, but this is fairly typical nationally.

"It's significant that quite a few of the people who steal cars, and particularly those who break into cars and steal from them, are heroin addicts, as are a fair proportion of shop lifters.

"Burglary and vehicle crime are two of our priorities, set by the Government and Sussex Police Authority, and we are trying to address the symptoms of these crimes.

"One of the main ways of doing this is to target active criminals and use investigative techniques."

In April, the police launched Operation Hyena in a bid to combat car crime. Officers have been targeting car crime hot spots and using DNA and finger printing in an effort to catch the perpetrators.

They have also been making efforts to track down drug traffickers who they believe come mainly from London and Liverpool.

Heroin is generally sold in £20 wraps or bags weighing half a gramme, or in £10 wraps or bags, weighing around a fifth of a gramme.

Supt Bliss believes the main reasons heroin is such a big problem in Brighton are the town's proximity to London and it's high proportion of young people.

"We are often criticised by the public who say we are not doing anything about heroin dealing, but most of our work is covert and we've had some successes."

Brighton police have had 35 organised drug operations this year alone.

In March, Operation Missile lead to the arrests of ten drug dealers who were later sentenced in connection with cocaine dealing in Brighton.

Mike Pattingson works at Get It While You Can, where drug addicts and alcoholics are referred to after they have been arrested.

He said: "We don't get involved with the criminal case, but we do talk about drink or drug problems.

"When you are stuck in a cell, you have a lot of time to think about what you are doing. We provide a person drug and alcohol users can identify and build a relationship with.

"That person will put them in touch with agencies that can help and get them into safe accommodation. But the problem is that there are not enough of these places and all of them are under-resourced."

Brighton police carried out an evaluation in 1997, which showed that since Get it While You Can was set up, 8,000 fewer shop-lifting offences and 1,500 fewer burglaries were committed in the town.

Mr Pattingson said: "There is a relatively small number of prolific offenders who commit an excessive amount of crime. Through the scheme, crime can be reduced."

However, the age of heroin users has dropped significantly and the co-ordinator of the health authority's drug action team Graham Stevens is concerned.

A YMCA survey, carried out last year, showed heroin users in Brighton were as young as 14.

Mr Stevens said: "Ten years ago, the youngest users would have been 18 or 19, but now they are younger because they don't get the same degree of HIV and AIDS education teenagers got ten years ago. It's also because the drugs are so cheap and easily available.

"The number of drug-related deaths in Brighton is high and we are trying to find ways of getting this message to the people on the streets."

A former heroin user said: "Trying to come off heroin is a real nightmare because it's so cheap and easy to get hold of. That includes prisons and even schools."

According to one Brighton resident, more needs to be done to combat drug dealing in the town. He said: "Everyone knows who the drug dealers are. I often see people waiting for them to buy their gear.

"There are people going round the pubs on Friday nights, collecting orders.

"They are the ones that end up in Lewes prison for six month, not the dealers who drive around in their BMWs.

"The Police need to catch the dealers. The problem won't stop until these people are put behind bars."