Drug seizures made by gardaí last year have far exceeded targets laid down by the National Drug Strategy, according to provisional figures released by the Garda National Drugs Unit (GNDU).
By the end of 2006 it was over six times ahead of the target expected to be reached by 2008.
The figures reflect a growth in the availability of drugs in Ireland as well as in their detection.
However, despite the increases, the GNDU remains underresourced, with 20 per cent of positions in the unit currently vacant.
The National Drug Strategy aimed to increase seizures by 50 per cent between 2000 and 2008. In 2000, drug seizures were worth just over € 8 million, with a projected target of € 12 million for 2008. But in 2006, the provisional value of all drugs seized was almost € 74 million.
Seizures of heroin, cocaine, herbal cannabis and amphetamines were all up on 2005, while the recovery of cannabis resin and ecstasy was down.
The total value of the drugs seized by gardaí last year, including all major and minor seizures was valued at € 73,865, 000.
More than 165kg of heroin was seized, 2,500kg of cannabis resin and 200kg of herbal cannabis were recovered along with 274kg of cocaine, 20.5kg of amphetamines and 154,500 ecstasy tablets.
The head of the GNDU, chief superintendent Cormac Gordon, has said cannabis is still the most widely abused drug and gardaí are now finding cocaine, once the preserve of the middle classes, being used among lower socio-economic groups.
However, though there is an increased demand for heroin and it has moved from Dublin to areas such as Arklow, Carlow and Killybegs, it has largely stayed within lower socio-economic groups.
Mr Gordon said larger amounts of heroin available in Ireland could lead to more deaths.
"Increased traffic volumes means higher purity because the drug is more plentiful, and higher purity is likely to lead to more deaths because people's system isn't able for it," he said.
The cluster of six heroin deaths in Dublin before Christmas would not be attributed to contaminated heroin, he said, but to the fact that the victims may have had a break from the drug and returned to it or were not used to its purity.
He also said, following the seizure of 54kg of heroin in October, that there was no information to suggest a change in the price of the drug on the streets.
The GNDU, established in 1995, has 50 positions. However, 10 are currently vacant.
"We expect those vacancies to be filled shortly," Chief Supt Gordon said.
Speaking on the fight against drug barons and growing concerns that when one criminal figure is jailed there is another to take his place, he said continuous enforcement was essential to disrupt and dismantle people in the sale and supply of drugs.
"Our business is to put their business out of business," he said.
"If you disrupt them it takes time for them to be organised again, and maybe some don't come back.
"If you give up taking them on they will start dictating how the country is run," he added.