The Highlands and islands region has been identified as one of Scotland’s ecstasy hotspots.
New figures have revealed that the old Northern Constabulary seized the drug on 110 occasions last year in the north – with a total of 2,400 tablets recovered.
Their counterparts in Strathclyde – which has about eight times the population of the Highlands and islands – made 259 seizures and found 4,300 pills.
A report by the Scottish Government said: “Two-thirds of all ecstasy-type substance seizures in 2012-13 were recorded by just two forces, Northern Constabulary and Strathclyde Police.”
It is believed that police activity at the RockNess music festival on the banks of Loch Ness last summer, which was attended by people from across the country, may have contributed to the figures.
Police had issued a number of warnings about ecstasy-type substances in the run-up to the music event because a number of potentially-dangerous tablets were in circulation
Highland Alcohol & Drugs Partnership said last night that users should heed warnings about the dangers of illicit drugs such as ecstasy, which is known to have killed 17-year-old Regan MacColl in Glasgow last month and led to the hospitalisation of several others.
Coordinator Deborah Stewart said: “We would urge drug users if they are unable to abstain from drugs to follow harm-reduction advice.”
Ecstasy was the seventh most common drug seized by police in the former Northern Constabulary area.
The highest number of seizures were for herbal cannabis, with 678 recoveries made. This was followed by cannabis resin (626), diazepam (188), amphetamines (183), heroin (161) and cocaine (152).
Assistant Chief Constable Ruaraidh Nicolson, of Police Scotland, said: “We continue to use all our resources and expertise to disrupt and dismantle the controlled drug supply and distribution networks which impact upon our communities.
“Those involved in the supply of these harmful substances should be under no illusion that we will relentlessly pursue them and the proceeds of their criminal activities.”