“We reject the statement (made in a plea in mitigation to a sheriff0 that ‘the Hilltown is awash with heroin users.’

“It doesn’t help the police or health services deal with the problems to make dramatic statements condemning an entire area out of hand.

“It is clear the strategy over the last ten to 20 years has not been successful in reducing drug abuse.

“The SNP Government is working to update and improve the policy and this will involve new thinking and new ideas to combat the menace.

“We understand the concern of communities about abuse and drug-related crime but there is good work going on. The policy of seizing drug-dealers’ assets to pay for diversionary activities for young people is an example.

“The Government’s effort in the future will focus on helping people break their addiction. The new drug policy will build on initiatives which have worked.”

Councillor Jim Barrie, a member of the Tayside Joint Police Board, said, “Often it seems the police are making little impact, either in reducing the number of addicts or affecting the street price of drugs.

“The success of new initiatives depends on the police getting support from the community.

“The Drugs Strategy and Community Task Force will be targeting specific areas like the Hilltown and additional new resources have been created to spearhead an initiative this autumn.

“The success of it will be dependent upon the partnership approach of the police with all community groups.”

Yesterday Public Health Minister Shona Robison said the drugs issue was one the Scottish Government took seriously and was committed to tackling.

The Dundee East MSP promised to write to Chief Constable John Vine, seeking assurances that action would be taken.

“It’s a small minority of people who are involved and we have to protect the ordinary people in the community,” she said.

Ms Robison told the Tele today that she had already spoken to Tayside Chief Constable Vine about the drugs problem.

The Minister for Public Health said she was “reassured” that Tayside Police are doing all they can in the fight against drugs in Hilltown, and beyond.

“The fact that more drug cases are coming to our courts is testament to the efforts put in by Tayside police officers,” she added.

“Let us be clear, the problem of drug misuse in our communities is a problem we all have to tackle.”

Meanwhile, a top Tayside police officer has said heroin presents a significant problem in Dundee.

Divisional Commander for Dundee, Chief Superintendent Colin McCashey, said there is no doubt in his mind the supply of heroin has increased dramatically in recent years.

However, the man in charge of policing Dundee claims the drug problem is not restricted to Dundee, but is mirrored in other large cities across Scotland.

“Clearly heroin isn’t manufactured in Tayside. It comes to the UK from abroad, generally via the major cities, and that is why we work closely with other police forces and enforcement agencies to try to stem the flow of drugs into our area,” said Mr McCashey.

“But the amounts we are seeing seized at border control are the tip of the iceberg in terms of the amount being supplied to the UK.”

Fresh debate about the drug problem in Dundee follows a report earlier this week in the Tele about a heroin dealer whose Hilltown flat was visited by 50 people in less than five hours.

Police had been keeping 43-year-old Donna Winter’s Powrie Place home under surveillance after receiving a tip-off that she was selling drugs.

She admitted at the sheriff court on Monday being concerned in the supply of heroin, and was remanded in custody pending sentence on June 10.

Her solicitor, George Donnelly, told the court the Hilltown was “awash with heroin users and a torrent of them would flood down to my client’s home.”

Mr McCashey said, “There is absolutely no doubt the availability of heroin is far greater in Dundee now than a number of years ago. The fact its misuse is more widespread in the city than before should concern us all.

“Heroin presents a significant problem in Dundee. Many of the people who come into the custody of Tayside Police do so because they have a drugs problem they commit crime to feed.

“Drugs misuse does not stand in isolation — it gives rise to other crime such as prostitution, street crime, robbery and housebreaking.

“Because of the ruinous and insidious nature of heroin, we have a continuous focus on drugs, drugs dealers, drugs misuse and the wider affect drugs have on our communities. Because it gives rise to other crimes, heroin has the potential to affect every one of us.

“We are not complacent, as this is our problem and it is ours for all of us to deal with. We want to hear from people if they are aware of any drugs activity in their area.

“That might be dealers, users or even if they have seen syringes, needles and other paraphernalia discarded in the street or common close.”

A survey published earlier this year revealed most heroin users in Dundee were taking the drug daily and spending an average of £18,000 a year to feed their habit.

And just last week Deputy Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson admitted the force was losing its battle against drug misuse.

“There has been an increase in discarded needles and drugs paraphernalia in Dundee.

“People should contact the authorities where they see it. Police, community safety wardens or the council’s waste management team will respond and it also gives us further insight into where current drugs misuse is happening.”