On a very basic level there are two types of drugs market. One would be habitual and the other recreational. Within the habitual market are the stereotyped chaotic addicts, people who commit acquisitive crime and tend to have broken relationships, poor health and be unemployed. The recreational market is stereotyped by the jet set, football stars, pop stars, the club scene, highbrow lifestyle and people in lucrative employment. There is a mix between the markets but strategies to deal with them have to be different.
Nightclubs are a part of the recreational market and a manager of a club must identify associated problems and how to deal with them. The scene in Liverpool is problematic because of the organised criminality and the flow of drugs in clubs. ‘Opportunist irregulars’ have no history of criminality. They may well be in a reasonably well paid job but see a niche in the market to indulge in activities which could be quite lucrative. This could then bring them into conflict with the law. ‘Criminal diversifiers’ are people who have a history of acquisitive crime and see dealing in drugs as more profitable and preferable than having to commit robberies and handbag snatches. ‘Illegitimate sideliners’ are nightclub workers who use their employment as a cover for dealing drugs to the clientele.