Durban - Drug related crimes are down almost 50 percent in Chatsworth according to the latest crime statistics released on Thursday.
There were 784 cases opened for 2018/2019 in comparison to the previous 1 555 reported.
In Phoenix there were 1712 crimes reported in comparison to the previous reported period which showed 2 184 crimes.
This is down almost 21 percent.
Mohamed Shah from the Phoenix Local Drug Action Committee said the statistics was not a true reflection of what was actually happening in Phoenix.
"A decrease merely means that less people are coming forward to report drug related crimes to the police. Drugs remain a massive problem in Phoenix and more awareness and the law needs to run its course.
"Drug abuse has far reaching consequences which is resulting in poverty and crime. Right now we have drug addicts sleeping on the streets. It's a major problem," he said.
During the course of the year police had conducted various raids in Phoenix.
In September 2018 police cracked down on a notorious drug den known as the "Barnyard" and recovered more than R600 000 worth of drugs.
In July this year police seized nearly R2 million worth of drugs during a raid on the premises of an alleged known Phoenix drug dealers den.
Two people were charged for dealing and possession of heroin, mandrax, ecstasy and crack cocaine at the Phoenix police station. One of them faces charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Democratic Alliance Councillor Sharon Hoosen said during an Anti-Crime March in June 2017 the DA handed over a memorandum to the Phoenix Police Station which contained the list with the details of 52 known drug dealers in the community to police.
A Chatsworth great-grandmother, believed to be the queen bee behind a thriving drug operation in Woodhurst and Kharwastan was arrested in July with drugs under her nightgown.
She is currently out on bail.