New hope as 'drugs den' underpass cleaned up

WHITE powder strewn across the ground and used needles scattered among broken alcohol bottles - this was the scene you would be met with six years after we first reported on an infamous underpass very close to Swansea city centre.

- SHAURYA SHAURYA

But things seem to have finally changed after new fences were put around a piece of land adjacent to the underpass in Jockey Street, which was frequented by drug users for more than half a decade.

If you had seen it during the peak of its use as a drugs den you would have probably turned around - but for many it wasn’t an option.

It is in a busy area with the Student Roost at St Davids, Parc Tawe and other locations on the east side, and Swansea Business School, Ty Nant student accommodation, The Palace Theatre and many more to the west.

We have been visiting the underpass since 2018 and on every visit until now we have faced a similar scenario.

The first time we set foot at the site we saw a syringe full of dark liquid, spoons used to “cook” heroin, metal foil and plastic wrapping.

On our second visit a year later nothing had changed and the site remained littered with drug paraphernalia.

Our third visit in 2019 and fourth visit in 2024 also showed little had changed and the site appeared left to its fate.