GARDAÍ IN DUBLIN city centre have launched a crackdown on “nuisance” hand-to-hand drug deals taking place at well-known hot-spots for dealing in the city centre.
Garda stations across the capital have received an increased number of complaints from members of the public about open dealing in recent months.
The crackdowns will targeting areas of the quays as well as particular areas of the Liberties in the south inner city. The boardwalks along the quays will be a particular priority for gardaí. A number of other streets around these areas will also be targeted.
The renewed effort comes on top of an already functioning operation targeting street dealers and anti-social behaviour in and around O’Connell Street.
In the recent past, Garda resourcing in the city centre has been focused on tackling high-end suppliers as well as stopping feud murders – operations which have garnered significant results.
However, “nuisance dealing” as one source put it, is on the rise and many lower-level dealers are acting with apparent impunity in areas of the capital.
Officers in drug units based at Kevin Street, Pearse Street and Store Street have been urging management to allocate resources for what is seen as a potential easy win for them, which would also provide a huge benefit to the local community.
In tandem with the increased number of calls to gardaí about open dealing, use of crack-cocaine in particular has been on the rise since the summer of 2017.
The drug, which is usually smoked, provides users with a short, intense high much stronger than powder cocaine. While use of the drug was initially centred in the city, more recently there have been reports of open dealing of crack-cocaine in the inner suburbs of the capital too.
Additionally, HSE addiction experts say use of cocaine has now returned to Celtic Tiger levels.
Source: Garreth MacNamee, The Journal.ie, 02/12/2019
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