THE CAR park on Avenida de Liberdade in Albufeira appears to have become a favourite spot for heroin addicts.
Shop owners and residents have repeatedly complained to the câmara, but, as yet, nothing has been done.
There are worries that addicts are begging and business owners believe that this could directly affect tourism if the situation is not resolved. According to residents, drug users are openly purchasing and consuming drugs, which could affect Albufeira’s family holiday image.
Drug users and residents agree that there is a lack of treatment programmes available to help drug addicts in the Algarve give up and end their habit.
Albufeira Câmara has responded to the criticism by saying that they have removed some of the worst cases from the area, placing them in the appropriate rehabilitation programmes.
The Resident attempted to contact the president of the câmara, Desidério Silva, to ascertain whether a plan of action to help addicts was being discussed with the Ministry of Health and the area’s medical centres, but he was unavailable for comment.
