has employed a viola player to help combat drug abuse and dealers in the area Councillors say that hundreds of customers from around Lombardy travel to the town to buy illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin Dante Cattaneo, mayor of Ceriano Laghetto, told The Local: “The line has been taken hostage by drug addicts from across the region “A train arrives in each direction every half an hour and about ten people will get off each train who have arrived solely to buy drugs.” the council drew up a new plan to combat the problem has been employed to help disrupt the criminal activity which generates between five and six million euros a year The teenage musician takes to the middle of Groane Park and plays Italian composer Benedetto Marcello’s Concerto in G the sound of live music temporarily deterred dealers and their clients as if frightened by the presence of people who are not their clients,” she told The Local an Italian music student and councillor responsible for culture in the town continued: “Bringing culture to the Groane park is one of the means of countering the phenomenon of dealing that has been here for years.” The drugs problem first hit when the Ceriano Laghetto-Groane train station was reopened in 2012 Cattaneo told the newspaper: “For six years we have been penalised by the station opening […] The train station is in the heart of the woods and the dealers are only a few metres away from the platforms.” the council and a team of volunteers clean up the park and remind dealers they cannot operate in the area The mayor says he has called for a permanent guard to be stationed in the park but previous governments have ignored his requests the young violist said: “People should be able to go out for a walk take a train or simply be able to return to live quietly without the terror of stepping on syringes or worse “I am convinced that combating the culture of drugs – and therefore that of death – with art and in particular with music is a very strong ‘weapon’ but it is already an important message from a symbolic point of view.” Discover Music Ravel Einaudi Events See more Best classical music See more Classic FM Live Playlists See more Latest news Paderewski Classic FM Hall of Fame Videos See more Latest videos Allegri Lesley Garrett