A six-week publicity drive — funded by cash seized from criminals — is currently urging residents anonymously to pass on information on drug dealers and drug dealing in their area to Crimestoppers Scotland.

Actionable drugs calls to Crimestoppers have increased by 416% since the launch of the Dealers Don’t Care, Do You? campaign.

“Intelligence from the campaign has been slow initially, but is now increasing when you consider this quantity of drugs has been recovered,” said Detective Superintendent Jim Cameron today.

“We would like more intelligence on what is available in Dundee.

“This campaign by Crimestoppers affords the people of Dundee the opportunity to assist in reducing the availability of drugs in the city.

“If you have any information on the drugs situation in Dundee, we would be delighted to hear from you.”

The number of dealers and the number of people prepared to inject heroin have risen sharply since heroin all but disappeared from the city’s drug culture during the late 1990s.

During its heyday in the late 1970s and early 80s, heroin misuse was responsible for the needless deaths of many Dundee addicts.

The fear of contracting AIDS saw its use decrease during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

However it reappeared in the guise of a more “recreational” drug, where youngsters smoked the substance — otherwise known as “chasing the dragon”.

The Dealers Don’t Care, Do You? campaign was launched by First Minister Jack McConnell on February 15, and will run until March 31.

Information given to Crimestoppers Scotland will be passed on to the relevant force to take appropriate action.

There have been 397 actionable calls on drugs between 7am on Tuesday, February 15, and 7am on Tuesday, February 22.

This compares to 77 actionable calls the previous week.

The campaign, which is costing £1.062 million, is being funded entirely through assets seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

In future years, such funding will be used to help regenerate and improve areas hardest hit by drugs.

Further details on this will be announced later this year.

In the past two years, just over £2 million has been drawn down from the courts and Crown Office to the Executive.