Police fear cocaine is seen as a party drug

Police have said they will be working through the festive period to catch pushers and users.

They will also be collaborating with forces across Scotland and in England to stop drugs coming to the area.

Officers are particularly concerned about a rise in cocaine use over the coming weeks because it is seen as a party drug by some.

Det Insp Iain Wales said: "Drug dealers certainly don't take holidays, they see this as a bit of a boom time for them, particularly in the cocaine market.

"The message I want to push is, we certainly don't take holidays.

We're absolutely committed to ridding the streets of Tayside of drugs and drug dealers Det Insp Iain Wales

"We're working right through the Christmas period and we have several ongoing operations against a variety of people throughout Tayside and we don't stop.

"We're absolutely committed to ridding the streets of Tayside of drugs and drug dealers."

Party-goers are also being urged to stop and think before they take any illegal drugs this Christmas.

Insp Wendy Symington said: "Some controlled drugs, such as cocaine, are more affordable and accessible than they were previously and any youngster who might be attracted to them needs to know that this is a highly addictive and dangerous drug.

"No one who takes drugs can be certain of what they are putting into their body, in what purity, or indeed what effect it will have.

"Dealers are not reputable and the only thing they can be relied upon for is making money at the expense of others.

"We have seen a worrying increase in overdoses in Tayside. But for medical intervention, many more of them would have been fatal overdoses."