Gardai have evidence that illegal drugs were sold in 12 Dublin nightclubs and late-night venues in the last three months. Seven of the venues have been served with notice that gardai will apply to have licences revoked if people are found selling drugs on the premises in the future.
A further five venues are expected to be served notice after forensic analysis is completed on the substances purchased in them.
The seven clubs include The Kitchen nightclub, in the U2-owned Clarence Hotel, and The Pod, on Harcourt Street. A third club, Rumours, in north Dublin, has closed.
The manager of The Kitchen, Mr Richard Mooney, said last night the venue had put in its own undercover staff since receiving the notice, about six weeks ago. "Along with other nightclub owners it's not something we tolerate, but it is a constant battle. We've just put in extra security and some of them are under cover."
Mr Mooney said he was "very surprised" to receive the notice, served after undercover gardai bought drugs on the premises.
Under Operation Nightcap, an initiative by Assistant Commissioner, Mr Jim McHugh, 20 officers from the Dublin area have been going into Dublin nightclubs, buying drugs, including ecstasy, amphetamine, or speed in both powder and tablet form, and cannabis resin.
The operation is a follow-on to Operation Cleanstreets, where undercover gardai bought heroin from dealers who were subsequently prosecuted.
The owner of the Pod, Mr John Reynolds, was not available for comment yesterday. There was no reply from the telephone number for Rumours.
Members of the Garda National Drug Unit, who co-ordinated the operation, have since spoken to club owners and the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) about measures they can take to avoid prosecution under the Licensing (Combating Drug Abuse) Act, 1997.
It is believed that the LVA was very concerned about the possible effect on its members.
"Some club owners will say they have 5,000 people on a dance floor and you bought three deals," a garda source said. "It will be up to the nightclubs to devise a policy."
The source said dealing in some of the clubs had been blatant, whereas others were more discreet. "In some cases there was a lot of money changing hands."
Those selling to undercover gardai, or mockeys, as they were called when the device was used in the 1980s against heroin dealers, were not arrested on the spot in a "buy-and-bust" situation.
Instead the serial numbers on money used to buy drugs were noted and suspects were arrested and searched after they left clubs.
A number of people appeared in court earlier this week on charges of possession with intent to supply. Up to 20 people are expected to face prosecution. "These people are different to those arrested under Cleanstreets. There is a much more middle-class and upper middle-class profile." Most of the people are in their 20s and early 30s.
Mr Mooney said drug-dealing "hasn't been a huge problem. We've always been pretty strict about it and words get around that there's no point in dealing. If people are found selling we hand them over to gardai."
