Thames Valley Police are channelling as many resources as possible into the war against drugs.

A police spokesman, who cannot be named as he plays a leading undercover role in the fight against drugs in Oxfordshire, paints a grim and realistic picture of the situation.

"It is true that Greater Leys has a drug problem, like many of the estates in Oxfordshire, and it is getting worse, the same as everywhere else," he says.

"The police don't distinguish between Greater Leys and Blackbird Leys, it's just one big estate to us where there is currently a high level of drug abuse, in the main of crack cocaine and heroin.

Supt David McWhirterThis view is endorsed by TVP Area Commander Supt David McWhirter. "We are not talking about the majority of residents in Greater Leys here, but I do not deny that a minority who live there have a very significant drug problem," he says

The undercover policeman adds: "Although Greater Leys is newer than most estates, there is an overflow of population from Blackbird Leys which moves between the two estates.

"Many of the younger generation who were brought up on Blackbird Leys have moved to Greater Leys, so for us there is no divide. There's not a good and a bad estate, it's all one.

"However, while Greater Leys may seem a hotbed of drugs to some people, if they live in and among it and hear about drug related problems, they are the minority.

"We now need to work together with the community to control it. Drug taking does go on behind net curtains as well as on the streets and it will continue to get worse if everyone turns a blind eye to it and assumes we already know what's going on.

"We are doing things about it - just go down to the courts and see the people receiving three, five and six year sentences for dealing in drugs or drug related crimes.

"But it is not out of control or unique to Oxford, this happens in all the big cities nationally." He also says that it is unfair to point the finger at the parents of drug addicts, adding that young people normally start taking drugs because of peer and social pressure.

"At the end of the day we are working for the public and are looking to control drugs, combat the gradual increase and turn the tide using their help."

Anyone with any information about drug abuse can telephone Oxford Police on 01865 266333 or phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.