Concerns about the level of the drug problem were aired at a recent public DPP meeting when Ald Danny O'Connor said there was "a perception" that certain people were bringing drugs in from the Republic.

"We don't want any crime bosses being set up," he warned.

PSNI area commander Ryan Henderson had reported that Larne police were "on target" with their aim of increasing the number of searches for controlled drugs. In the period from April to June this year there were 28 searches, compared to 26 last year.

The chief inspector said police found searches useful in two ways: firstly, finding drugs and also by causing disruption to suspected dealers.

He also said that assets could be taken away from those who seem to have little income, but yet seem to live a lavish lifestyle.

Ald O'Connor said people in the town were fed-up with local drug dealers "with gold dripping off them" and driving expensive cars.

"They neither work nor want and seem untouchable. They may be small in Northern Ireland terms, but in Larne they are big fish," he said.

"Could the Organised Crime Taskforce look in to this and also into asset recovery?" he asked.

Chief Insp Henderson said that while some policing operations were covert and he could not go into the details, he admitted that such activity was not going unnoticed.

"There's no one more galled about criminals driving around in big cars than the police in Larne," he stressed.