More than 150 people accused of heroin dealing are to appear in Dublin District Courts this week. They were arrested after allegedly selling heroin to undercover gardai in Operation Cleanstreets.
The cases follow the latest wave of arrests under the operation, set up by Assistant Commissioner Jim McHugh earlier this year and operated by the Garda National Drugs Unit. At least three District Courts, the Bridewell, Kilmainham and Tallaght, are expected to be used to process the charges.
More than 100 people accused of street dealing have already been charged with selling heroin on the evidence gathered by undercover gardai. Most of the arrests were made in the south inner city and canal estates.
Gardai have seized about £10,000 in cash from both addicts and dealers, as well as more than 350 deals of heroin. A unit of more than 10 young gardai are involved in the operation, pretending to be addicts and sometimes using motorcycles and vans.
Uniformed gardai have provided back-up, arresting a suspected dealer after the transaction has occurred. In some situations the Garda "buyer" has used a marked note to pay for the heroin, which is then found after the arrest.
Some dealers have responded by moving indoors and selling only by telephone to known addicts who arrange to meet them at certain locations. Other dealers, usually addicts themselves dealing to feed a habit, tend to be less cautious and approach anyone who appears to be looking for heroin.
Stop-and-search operations in areas such as St Michael's Estate in Inchicore have resulted in dealers moving to other areas.
Despite recent large seizures, including one of 22kg of heroin, the street price of the drug is still low, with some poor-quality heroin selling for less than £10 a bag.
European Drug Prevention Week, which began yesterday, will involve events throughout the State aimed at educating children and parents.
Today the Minister of State for Local Development, Mr Chris Flood, will announce a drugs awareness video for parents produced by the Eastern Health Board and the National Parents' Council.
The EHB chief executive, Mr P.J. Fitzpatrick, is due to outline developments in drug-treatment services for the Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare areas.
Almost 3,300 addicts have registered with EHB doctors and clinics since the board introduced a new registration system for addicts being prescribed the heroin substitute, methadone.
The system is designed to stop the flow of the synthetic opiate on to the black market by prescribing only to registered addicts with identity cards.
