Bohemia Village Voice

On Monday 22 May, a resident reported heroin abuse as follows: “Heroin – there seems to be a new batch of heroin in the area, judging by the small pools of vomit on the pavements of Tower and Bohemia Road. Throwing up is one of the side effects of heroin consumption. The drug dealer who operates from and around Newgate Road, is now meeting his customers in the alleyway linking Tower and Lower South Roads. On two occasions over the weekend a local resident cutting through saw the man, medium height, dark hair, leather jacket lighting up smokes of heroin or crack cocaine to two youngish lads dressed in grey jogging type clothes. Presumably the alleyway is a safer bet than his own house which has been raided several times by the police. However, despite the busts he carries on regardless.”  [The item was received Monday 22 May 2006 from a local resident, who wishes to remain anonymous]

A further report has been filed today, Sat May 27 from the same resident,as follows: Monday May 22. At lunchtime today, just after twelve o’clock, the local, concerned resident told Cllr Trevor Webb what he had seen.This afternoon (Mon May 22 at around 3pm, the Police Mobile Crime Detection Van was present on Tower Road and about six officers in fluorescent jackets were moving around the vicinity and looking in the alley. One of the clients from the weekend was seen standing outside the Tower pub – same clothing – baggy light grey sweatpants, baseball cap, about 59" to 510". He clocked the resident as he passed.

The police presence will probably scare off the dealer and his customers for a while from this spot. Thinking back, the resident recalled a comment by a resident of Lower South Road whose back windows overlook the alleyway that it was used for a number of dubious purposes after dark. It was assumed that this was in the teenage kicks sectors, but in view of the preceding, perhaps it has been a regular rendezvous after dark for some time. Now they have been brazen enough to use it in broad daylight. [Received Sat 27 May 2006 from a resident who wishes to remain anonymous]