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SWANSEA, like many cities has its issues, drug use being one of them.
With a drug gang who used the Dragon Hotel as a base for planning a Class A drugs operation being jailed last year, drug crime can be a problem across the city.
Issues reported to police are included in statistics published on the police.uk website, which features the locations of a range of crimes, from minor incidents to major offences.
Ivor Glyn, Regional Director at Drug Aid Cymru, believes that the UK model for preventing drug crime is not working.
He said: "I think it is obvious that the system that we have in the UK does not work and I believe we need stop thinking that we have all the answers and start looking at what works in other countries.
"Locking up more people using drugs doesn't achieve anything because when they come out of jail they start using again.
"I would like to see us potentially employ the Portuguese model whereby if someone is caught with drugs in their possession that are clearly for personal use then they are sent straight to therapy."
However, the general consensus among various drug charities and councillors is that the drug problem in Swansea is no worse than in other UK cities.
Swansea East AM Mike Hedges said: "Swansea has got a drug problem but if anyone says that it is worse than other cities then quite frankly they are being delusional.
"It is about addressing the drug problem and getting them on to the health system. I also think that the health system and voluntary systems must work far more closely in order to give people whose lives have been affected by drugs the best opportunity of recovery.
"I think we need to start giving people hope because if you give them the opportunities of higher paid jobs and they have a stable family then they are less likely to fall foul of drug problems."
Mynyddbach councillor Ceinwen Thomas believes that a lack of government funding has hampered the city's ability to deal with its drug problem.
She said: "In all fairness the police are working very hard to try and eradicate the drug problem in Swansea.
"However, the police have had their budged cut from central Government so they are operating with one hand tied behind their backs."
Clydach councillor Gordon Walker is of the opinion that prison sentences for drug suppliers are too lenient.
He said: "I think the punishments for drug suppliers and addicts are far too lenient at the moment.
"What I am against is that there are a lot of people on Methodone and even though it is supposed to get them off drugs they are on it for years.
"We need to attack drugs at its source by getting the suppliers and handing them heavier jail sentences.
"About half of crime in Swansea has a link to drugs so if we cut down the suppliers it would have a huge impact on crime levels falling."
Here are the locations, and the addresses:
A number after the address indicates if there was more than one crime that took place there.
Bonymaen:
Parking area
Castle:
Bus Station
College Street
Green Dragon Lane (2)
Harrington Street
Mount Pleasant Drive (9)
Nightclub
Parking Area
Somerset Place (2)
Swansea Prison
Clydach:
Kingrosia Park
Cockett:
Bryn Road
Cwm Du Close
Elphin Crescent
Cwmbwrla:
St John's Road
Dunvant:
Dunvant Square
Llansamlet:
Bethel Road
Glanbran Road
Mannesmann Road
Sports and recreation area
Lower Loughor:
Heol-pen-y-beili
Mawr:
Lon-y-felin
Mayals:
Heneage Drive
Morriston:
Maes y Fedwen
Tregarne Close
Mynyddbach:
Clos Caersalem
Clos Pen y Banc (2)
Elan Avenue
Ystwyth Place
Newton:
Langland Bay Road
Penclawdd:
Caban Isaac Road
Penderry:
Cadle Close
Heol Newydd
Morlais Road
Prescelli Road
Pontardawe:
Bus station
Pontarddulais:
Church Lane
Sketty:
Clyne Court
St. Thomas:
Port Tennant Road
Vale of Neath Road
Uplands:
Belgrave Lane
Gorse Lane
St Helen's Road
Victoria Avenue
West Cross:
Gonhill
Read more at http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/the-worst-swansea-streets-for-drugs-crime-this-summer/story-29698045-detail/story.html#6lDPyvXCBmjw0OZv.99
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