A stark investigation into the heart of Dundee has laid bare a city grappling with rampant drug abuse, violent crime, and deep-seated social decline. The inquiry, which included first-hand observations and interviews with residents, paints a picture of a community where brazen public drug use has become normalised and economic hardship is pervasive.
A City Centre in the Grip of Drugs
In a disturbing scene emblematic of the wider issue, a young man in a blue jacket was photographed openly smoking crack cocaine from a pipe on a street corner behind a city centre McDonald's. He then staggered away with a friend, indifferent to onlookers. This was not an isolated incident but a common occurrence in areas now notoriously dubbed 'Crack Alley'.
The Keiller Centre, a largely deserted shopping mall, has become a magnet for drug users. Locals report that Class A drug dealing happens in plain sight, contributing to a climate of fear that is driving shoppers away and forcing businesses to close. Dundee currently has the second-highest rate of crime in Scotland, with 783 reported crimes per 10,000 people in 2024/25, trailing only Glasgow.
Ric May, 58, who runs the Christian project 'Jesus Dugs' to support addicts, stated unequivocally: 'Drugs here are out of control.' He described a shift from heroin to crack cocaine, with users often mixing it with other substances, leading to fatal cases of pneumonia. He also highlighted the alarming youth of some dealers, known locally as 'the young team', and the practice of 'cuckooing', where gangs take over vulnerable people's homes for dealing.
Political Fallout and a Divided Community
The city's plight has ignited fierce political debate. Dundee is an SNP stronghold, but many residents and opposition politicians are now pointing the finger at local and national leadership. Critics argue that the council's priorities are misplaced, citing a budget deficit of £25 million for the current tax year alongside spending of over £1 million on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton criticised this spending, saying: 'This is yet another example of the SNP prioritising ideological projects over the issues that people actually care about.' The controversy extends to homelessness, where applications in Dundee rose by 18% in a year. This issue was at the centre of a recent employment tribunal case involving Salvation Army worker Charles Mackie, 56, who was sacked after making inflammatory comments about migrants taking up homeless accommodation. Although he insisted he was not racist, the tribunal ruled his dismissal was fair.
The shadow of a horrific grooming gang case also looms large. Last October, a Romanian gang of five was jailed for a total of 74 years for raping and sexually exploiting ten vulnerable women in Dundee, having plied them with crack cocaine. Judge Lord Scott said they manipulated victims with an 'unending supply' of drugs.
Economic Decline and a Plea for Help
Dundee's struggles are underpinned by stark economic indicators. Its estimated unemployment rate of 5.3% is significantly higher than the Scottish (3.6%) and UK (4.1%) averages. The city frequently records the highest rate of non-sexual violent crime in Scotland and had the second-highest number of drug deaths in 2024, at 42.
Long-term residents mourn the loss of the vibrant city they once knew, famed for 'jute, jam and journalism'. Robert Lawrence, 70, who has run a shoe repair stall in the Keiller Centre for 45 years, said business is bad and drugs are a major problem. 'Part of the problem,' he suggested, 'is that the council has spent so much money on the waterfront and nothing on the high street.'
While some, like bar licensee Jonathan Sewart, see pockets of improvement, the overwhelming sentiment from those interviewed is one of decay and neglect. A recent post on Reddit by a newcomer working for the NHS described Dundee as a 'ghost town' and 'the edge of the UK, poor, neglected', prompting plans to leave. As the city contends with its grim reputation, the central question remains whether the political will and resources can be marshalled to tackle the interconnected crises of addiction, poverty, and crime that are holding it back.
