Watch: Police raid Dundee multi-storey on frontline of war against drugs

Behind the doors of a Dundee multi-storey, police move in as part of an operation targeting the city’s drug trade.

In the Hilltown – an area long associated with drugs and violence – officers raid a flat while STV News accompanies them to see firsthand how police are trying to disrupt criminal activity and respond to community concerns.

Inside the property, officers begin searching for evidence linked to suspected drugs activity.

For police, raids like this are about more than recovering drugs – they are part of a wider effort to tackle the violence and anti-social behaviour they say often comes with it.

Inspector Grant McGaughay said: “Violence derives from drugs activity, drugs debts and the anti-social behaviour that’s associated with that.

“We’ve always had a fight against drugs and our community teams right across the city do everything they can to glean intelligence from our communities and we use that information to carry our enforcement action like today.

“We listen to concerns from residents and the wider communities, social media and intelligence-led policing and that tells us there is issues in relation to violence and drugs in this area of the city.”

During the operation, a 31-year-old woman is arrested at the flat and taken to a police station for further questioning.

Later, a 38-year-old man is led from the property in handcuffs.

Both were charged in connection with possession of drugs offences and will be reported to the procurator fiscal.

Police say operations like this are increasingly driven by intelligence from the public, with concerns raised by residents helping shape where officers focus resources.

Inspector McGaughay said: “The policing for our communities model rolled out earlier this year and was introduced in Tayside division and it has allowed us to put more focus on community policing.

“The Hilltown as an example, we’ve reopened the Hilltown station as a community station. It’s right in the heart of the Hilltown area so there’s a lot more visibility for residents and the wider community around here.”

For police, the raid is one part of a broader campaign in the Hilltown – targeting those involved in drugs while trying to reassure a community affected by violence.

And with frequent tip-offs from the public, officers have a warning for those involved in the drugs trade: their door could be next.