AMSTERDAM, Sept 20 (Reuter) Dutch Protestant priest Hans Visser said on
Saturday he had launched a scheme to supply cutprice heroin to addicts,
defying a threat of police action.

Visser, who works in the port city of Rotterdam, argues addicts with no
hope of kicking their habit should at least have access to a cheap, clean
and reliable source of drugs.

In August, he announced plans to run the project from his inner city
Pauluskerk, or Church of Paul, sparking an outcry from some conservative
politicians.

In an interview with broadsheet Trouw on Saturday, Visser said he had
already begun acting as intermediary between seven drug dealers and five
addicts. He said he hoped to extend the scheme to 10 users.

He admitted he was treading a fine legal line. ``I have had advice from
lawyers. The Rotterdam police, legal authorities and town hall know what I
am up to and they can live with it.''

He insisted that bringing together pushers and users was not illegal and he
took issue with Health Minister Els Borst, who has called for police
intervention.

``Her reaction shows that she is not well informed. She is acting as though
I am holding a surgery to dole out drugs.''