The devastated mother of Dundee’s latest drugs death victim has pleaded to the city’s dealers: ”This must end now.”
Father-of-two Neil Johnston (24) is the 20th victim of a suspected drugs-related death in Tayside in less than five months. His body was found at his home in Fintryside on Monday.
His mother Mary (58) herself confronted the family of the dealer who sold her son the drugs that are thought to have ultimately taken his life.
As well as Mary he leaves behind his father Neil, children Ava (4) and two-year-old Adele, and his partner Emma Williams.
Mary said: ”Neil had admitted to me that he bought Valium. I immediately went to the dealer’s house. The dealer’s partner was there and I went up to her and I told her that if he ever sold my son anything again I wouldn’t stand for it.
”I told them I would have told the police and if that makes me a bad person and a grass then I am but I’m a mother first. Do these people know what they are doing? Do they know how parents have got to pick up the pieces, never to see your son walk through the door and smile?”
Neil’s death takes the tragic toll to four in just eight days across Dundee, and 20 in Tayside for the year so far.
Tayside Police Assistant Chief Constable Angela Wilson said community-based officers will maintain a high-profile presence in local areas, along with community wardens and Dundee City Council’s anti-social behavior team.
”Drug dealing affects us all,” Ms Wilson said. ”It hurts our communities and brings misery to local families through drug addiction and crimes that are fuelled by drug dependency.
”The trade in illegal drugs has a negative effect on our communities, harms vulnerable people and raises the fear of crime.”
She also pledged to disrupt the supply of illegal drugs into Dundee ”permanently”.
A number of high-profile drugs raids took place on Monday and Ms Wilson said ”robust” enforcement action will continue using information provided by the public.
”We work extremely hard with our partners in law enforcement to target drug dealing at all levels,” she added. ”But we also recognise that the battle must be pitched locally arresting local drug dealers, disrupting the organised supply of illegal drugs and sending a clear message that we will not allow this criminal trade to persist unchecked, and this is where the Shop a Dealer campaign assists to tackle those involved.
”We listen to what local residents tell us and, working with our partners locally to find solutions, we will stand up for them and take action. We want our communities in Dundee to flourish, without the poisonous drugs and those that peddle them.”