By Alesha Capone
THE amount of heroin sold on city streets is rising, according to renowned Footscray youth worker Les Twentyman.
Mr Twentyman – who established the 20th Man Fund to assist disadvantaged young people through access to education, sport and recreation programs – also spent more 25 years as a street outreach worker.
Mr Twentyman said he has witnessed the rate of heroin use in Footscray, where the 20th Man Fund has offices, rising across the past few months.
“The doctor at the office sees 1000 patients a month and claims to see two new people for heroin dependency per day,” he said.
“I have noticed it by the amount of drug paraphernalia littering the laneways of Footscray and the CBD.
“The amount of syringe packages shows quite starkly that heroin’s coming back.”
The Maribyrnong Crime Investigation Unit recently arrested more than 25 people within the Footscray CBD, in an operation targeting drug dealing.
Between 7 and 18 November, detectives processed 27 suspects processed for 100 offences, including 49 for trafficking heroin, 43 for possessing heroin, three for using heroin, four charges of possessing proceeds of crime and one weapons offence.
During the operation, more than 20 of the 30 offenders processed were remanded in custody.
Maribyrnong Police Acting Inspector Steve Reynolds said the operation was a success.
“It’s something we know, people come to this area to get heroin and that’s something we will continue to focus on until we stamp it out,” he said.
