Distraught neighbours have called for telephone boxes near a Nottingham mosque to be taken down over reports they are being used as "dropping points" by drug dealers. It comes as the community in Trent Road, Sneinton said they only see 'suspicious people' using them, even in broad daylight.
The phone boxes are located in front of the Jamia Masjid Sultania, on the corner of Trent Road and Sneinton Dale. Many said the practice has been "going on for years".
Andrew and Sandra Taylor, long-term residents in the area, said the telephone boxes need to go. Mr Taylor said: "When the grandchildren come here, I just feel like they should not be seeing that - people injecting and leaving drugs in the telephone boxes."
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The 54-year-old said: "I think it is awful that some people go to the mosque to pray and then, literally next to it, people are doing drugs. I do not want my grandchildren to see this."
Mrs Taylor, an office manager, 54, added: "No one even uses them to call someone, it is only the suspicious people use them. Everyone has a mobile phone nowadays.
"And if you are in an emergency you can call 999 for free. These telephone boxes are a danger to the community.
"It is annoying and scary, and even if police are coming here on patrols, nothing will happen. They will just change their dropping times. It is a nightmare and nuisance for everyone."
Hunt Huynh, who runs a takeaway restaurant on Trent Road, added: "I just keep my head down and I personally do not engage with these groups. It has been going on for a long time now."
The 52-year-old added: "I opened my restaurant in 1997 - I have seen everything. There are groups dealing drugs here.
"But it is just better if you do not engage with it. They know me, I know them - but I am not involving in their business and they are not involving in mine.
"There are people selling drugs on this street, even in broad daylight. But I am just doing my job in the kitchen."
A resident who lives just across the street from the telephone boxes, who wished to remain anonymous, added: "We are just fed up with it. We reported it many times.
"It is happening throughout the day as well, not just in the evening. People are selling drugs and injecting things.
"It is just scary and we want this to end. I had my gate broken once when a drug dealer tried to run away when police came."
Neighbourhood Inspector Karl Thomas, who covers the Sneinton area, said: “Targeting drug dealers is a top priority for officers in Sneinton - and that can be shown by our arrest rate. I do not recall there has been any reports of discarded needles, injecting drugs or smoking cannabis in the telephone boxes located near the Jamia Masjid Sultania. There has been no issues reported to us or the council’s community protection officers.
“We have had a few issues with a phone box in Lees Street with some drug paraphernalia being found. However, let me assure residents in this area that we are working with the council to solve this issue.
“The police have a very strong presence in Sneinton with daily high-visibility patrols, not to mention the work of our Operation Reacher team, which carry out warrants in the Sneinton area putting those who peddle drugs like heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis out of business.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the community for their continued support in providing us with the information we need to stop drug dealers setting up shop in the Sneinton area. Please continue to feed us information and we will act.”
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