The police chief responsible for probing Renfrewshire’s drug deaths has vowed not to be complacent after a fall in fatalities.
Ross Macdonald revealed despite a cluster of deaths in Paisley earlier this year the toll so far is down by nine people.
Detected drug offences in the county have also plunged by a quarter.
The detective, who is Renfrewshire’s divisional intelligence manager, said the area is the sixth worst in Scotland for drug deaths.
He was speaking to the Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub-Committee of Renfrewshire Council last week.
He told councillors Renfrewshire has 21 confirmed and 27 suspected deaths in the year to date so far.
At the same time last year there were 47 confirmed and ten suspected deaths.
Etizolam - the so-called “street Valium” is responsible for most of the deaths.
The current figures are yet to be published due to delays in toxicology reporting.
Cops have been forced to switch their investigations after delays of up to nine months on toxicology data.
They now carry out immediate investigations to ensure witnesses and CCTV evidence is not lost.
He revealed that towards the end of last year there were six drugs raids and drugs recovered from people linked to fatal overdoses.
He said Crimestoppers is still providing good intelligence on where the dealers are operating from.
On the number of deaths, Ross Macdonald said: “I am conscious this is no grounds for celebration, this is still an alarmingly high number of local deaths.
“However a reduction of nine so far this year is a move in the right direction.
“But there will certainly be no complacency.
“Etizolam remains the most common identified drug in those deaths in Renfrewshire.
“So far it has featured in 15 deaths this year and last year it was last year it featured in 38 deaths.”
Etizolam usually causes death when used alongside other drugs such as methadone and heroin.
Total drug offences in Renfrewshire in the year to date is standing at 780, which is 25 per cent down.
Supply offences were 124, down nine per cent.
Ross McDonald said they don’t just put people into the criminal justice system, but try to find out the root cause, make interventions and focus on education.
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