Gardai have made seven significant drugs seizures in the past fortnight culminating in the weekend hauls of cocaine, amphetamine sulphate and cannabis with an estimated total street value of more than £8.5 million. The Garda successes, however, only highlight that despite increased police efforts and new laws, the problem of drug trafficking in this State may be worsening again.
More than 40 people have been arrested in connection with the seizures of heroin, cocaine, amphetamine, ecstasy and cannabis since October 22nd. Several are in custody facing charges which could result in lengthy jail sentences.
According to some gardai, drugs are more widely available throughout the State than ever before.
Seizures in Limerick, Galway and Donegal in the past fortnight illustrate the extent to which drugs are penetrating provincial centres. The £130,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine found in Galway two weeks ago was the largest single discovery of drugs, for local use, in the city.
At about the same time, cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy with a value of up to £50,000 was seized in Donegal. Last week, gardai in Limerick seized £180,000 worth of cannabis.
Just over two weeks ago, 20kg of cannabis was intercepted by gardai in Co Westmeath. It is believed the drugs were on their way to Northern Ireland.
In the same period, half a kilo of heroin, worth around £100,000, was discovered by Welsh police as it was being smuggled onto the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire ferry by a Dublin man. Two days later, half an ounce of uncut (or "rock") heroin, with a value of £75,000, was found in Drimnagh.
These finds, significant in any terms on this island, were put in the shade by the weekend seizures in Co Meath and at Dublin Airport.
The haul of 100kg of pure amphetamine sulphate, the drug known as "speed", and 4kg of cocaine by the Garda National Drugs Squad ranks among one of the 10 largest seizures ever made in this State. This was followed by yesterday's separate seizure of 33kg of cannabis at Dublin Airport.
In the past two weeks, gardai have seized some 65kg of cannabis with a "wholesale" value of between £130,000 and £170,00, and an estimated final street value of £500,000 to £600,000. Just under a kilo of heroin, with a value of about £175,000, was found.
The haul of 4kg of cocaine with a value of up to £1 million, along with the 100kg of amphetamine, with a potential final street value of £8 million, may have been on its way through this State to the British market.
Some of the seizures have come about as a result of co-operation between the Garda, British and continental police forces. Co-operation between EU police forces is improving and the Garda has two full-time drugs liaison officers in Europe, one in The Hague and one in Spain.
Some of the hauls have been the result of the detective work of divisional drugs units (DDUs), which are attached to the main urban stations in the State.
Garda sources say the seizures only underline the fact that many people are prepared to risk lengthy jail sentences because of the potential profits involved in supplying what appears to be an insatiable market.
Sources say it appears that a variety of criminal figures is attempting to replace the dominant position in the drugs market which has been left vacant by Garda successes against the gang which murdered journalist, Veronica Guerin.
Ironically, it is possible that media reports of the massive profits made by this gang stimulated many other minor criminals to try to fill its place.