North-east community leaders have praised police for cracking down on a drug problem which destroys lives and families.
New figures show in Peterhead and the wider Buchan area the number drug offences has risen by nearly one third, and the number of people prosecuted for supply illegal substances has rocketed by 60%.
Police stressed the rise does not mean more people are taking or supplying drugs, but that officers are dealing more damage to the drugs trade.
In a series of early morning raids last month officers seized stashes of heroin, cocaine and cannabis from properties in Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
And in late April, officers were involved in Britain’s biggest ever drugs bust when they helped search a Tanzanian ship carrying £500million of cocaine off the coast of Aberdeen.
The total number of drug supply offences in Peterhead and Buchan between April 2014 and March this year was 49, up from 29 on the previous 12 months.
Now senior officers will meet with members of the Buchan area committee tomorrow to discuss the findings.
Councillor Jim Ingram said: “It is concerning that there appears to be drug abuse in the area because the problem is it destroys lives, it destroys families.
“There is an acceptance that there is a drug problem right across the board and it applies everywhere, in every village and town.”
Referring to the rise in recorded offences, Mr Ingram added: “It may be that it’s the result of more successful police action. I’d like that confirmed.”
Last night local MSP Stewart Stevenson echoed those thoughts, adding: “I welcome the news that Police Scotland have been effective in their recent anti-drugs campaigns resulting in, what I understand to be, an increase in offences but a decrease in the overall drugs supply to the Buchan area.”
A comprehensive study of Peterhead town centre published last year revealed that many local residents felt unsafe in the shopping district as a result of the town’s perceived drug problem.
A police spokeswoman said: “It is positive – the figures reflect the work we are doing targeting the right people, and more work we’re doing in the community.”