Things didn’t look quite as bad as they were cracked up to be – a rampant drugs den and police raids were what I expected.

Yet peace and tranquillity reigned in this leafy corner of Old Aberdeen.

Appearances are often deceiving, of course.

Severe anti-social activity comes in waves and even those wrapped up in the drugs scene need their rest.

It’s not always like this by any means.

The P&J reported how residents around here were at the end of their tether about drug-dealing in this little lane in the Old Aberdeen conservation area, close to the University of Aberdeen.

Plague of moths chewing through clothes

It’s one of those fundamental issues which eats away at the fabric of a local community like a plague of moths chewing through clothes in an old wardrobe.

Destructive mites which are almost impossible to eradicate once they take up residence.

The question now is whether the public authorities, which in part bear responsibility for thrusting this crisis on the community and for policing the consequences, are doing enough to resolve it?

Not surprisingly, the long-suffering residents here think not – a familiar community refrain, is it not?

Historical links between the university and local settlement (one of oldest in the........

© The Press & Journal