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A GARDA DRUGS unit based in north inner city Dublin was unable to execute a raid on a suspected crack cocaine safehouse due to restrictions on overtime as sergeants fight with management in a bid to secure more resources.
TheJournal.ie has learned that tensions between one of the drugs units within Store Street garda station and management are reaching boiling point following a refusal to grant resources to raid a premises last Wednesday morning.
Members of the team had carried out surveillance on the premises and believed that a significant quantity of crack cocaine was being stored inside.
However, in order to be able to carry out the action, a number of hours of overtime were needed for every member of that drug unit’s subsection – something which was declined.
Store Street’s drug unit is divided into two different sub-sections – both of which have seen their numbers declining in recent years.
Garda sergeants based at the station have been involved in rows with management regarding the quality of their equipment and transport, as well as the effective curtailment of overtime in the district. In one instance, members of Store Street’s drug unit were, according to reliable sources, enraged when they heard that another vehicle was being taken off the streets.
One of the subsections is now left with two vehicles which are allegedly not fit-for-purpose – a Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta both of which are over 10 years old and, according to one source, “would have no chance of passing the NCT”.
Sergeants have also been fighting for upgraded equipment for the drug unit. It has been claimed that some of the equipment as not been updated in over a decade.
The unit at Store Street, despite the cutbacks, is still managing to make significant seizures.
Yesterday, drugs worth €570,000 were seized by officers attached to the rowing unit.
A 34-year-old woman was stopped in the Dublin 7 area on Monday afternoon, as part of an ongoing investigation by the North Central Divisional Drugs Unit at Store Street into the sale and supply of controlled drugs in the north inner city.
During the course of a search, cannabis herb with an estimated street value of up to €20,000 and methamphetamine with an estimated street value of up to €22,000 (pending analysis) were seized.
In a follow-up operation, a search was conducted at a flat on the North Circular Road in Dublin.
Cannabis, methamphetamine, amphetamine and cocaine with a combined estimated street value of up to €528,000 (pending analysis) was seized. Two men in their 30s were arrested at the scene.
But there is still frustration among some members about being unable to carry out a crack cocaine raid on Wednesday – as the prevalence of the drug continues to increase across Dublin.
The use of against crack cocaine across Dublin has spiralled in recent months and is now one of the most abused drugs in the country.
Drug service workers on both sides of the Liffey have noticed an increase in availability and use of the drug since last summer.
“Crack-cocaine isn’t new – it would come and go as a drug trend but this is more sustained use,” said Tony Duffin of the Ana Liffey Drug Project.
A smokeable form of cocaine made by chemically altering cocaine powder to form crystals or rocks, crack-cocaine produces a short but intense high with effects much stronger than the powdered version of the drug.
Duffin said the rise in availability of cocaine in the capital had led to an increase in the amount of crack being manufactured.
He explained:
There was something that happened around the summer of last year – a rock of crack would cost around €50. Dealers began to make smaller rocks for €25 so people could buy them for cheaper.
Most users smoke the drug, but a smaller number inject it intravenously and it’s often taken in combination with other substances.
The Garda Press Office has been contacted for comment.
With reporting by Daragh Brophy
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It’s like reading something from a comic book if it wasn’t so tragic, take all the governments paid state cars and give them to the drugs unit. Anyone who simply writes legalise drugs has no idea of the pain and havoc crack cocaine is having on our streets. Alcohol is legal it costs the health system the most money each year, that doesn’t include the families it destroys the lives it destroys the victims of violence on our streets in our homes but sure legalise all drugs then see the state of the country get worse.
@Deirdre: yes just like Portugal has gone to the dogs after decriminalizing drugs, Oh no wait!!!
Why did they need the overtime if the unit already knew the drugs were located in the building?????
@Stephen Bergin: that’s easy, you can’t carry out surveillance leading up to the day of the raid, this after identifying the target and then because of a (constant) lack of resources hold off with the continued surveillance till the actual day of the raid itself. A blind man could tell you whose laughing harder here and it’s not the guards or the very communities that are being destroyed by these drugs! Our country is slowly being destroyed from within!
@Stephen Bergin: it’s not as simple as
@Stephen Bergin: stupid comment.
@Stephen Bergin: So you want the drug dealers to work 9 to 5 now. Overtime would have been for more staff. As they are undemanned.
Jaysus the grammar mistakes in these journal articles makes me wonder are they using the stuff!!!
@Mark Gaffney: and your use of vulgarity is disgusting
Stop handing out benefits, houses, flats etc to drug addicts and use that money for funding for the Gardai. If someone hasnt a clean urine sample they get nothing.
Is there no early drug unit shift or is it all about overtime ?
@Gerry Lamont: Have a read again; there’s two shifts on the drugs unit and both of them were required for the search.
@Gerry Lamont: There’s no doubting our gardaí are becoming overwhelmed, they’re under resourced and and severely lacking manpower so it should come as no surprise to anyone that overtime is a requirement. If garda management are refusing to accede to authorise overtime and the necessary equipment, presumably for budgetary reasons, we’re owed an explanation for this. Garda management have no problem issuing press releases for high profile drug seizures and arrests so why not do the same and give the public an explanation for why they can’t authorise overtime and equipment to such a vital unit.
As others have already indicated, we’ve all seen the powerful cars driven by criminals, drug dealers and the like. As I write this I can see a powerful Audi outside the window, tinted windows are de rigueur, this season. Surely it couldn’t be that difficult to pass laws, if necessary, to seize such vehicles if they’re used while carrying out a serious crime. They can then be re registered and given over to the gardaí. There’s a certain amount of ironic karma using criminals cars against them.
Legalise…
@Dunkel Master: legalise crack cocaine? You must be on it to say that.
@Dunkel Master: cocaine?dont be a twit.
@Dunkel Master: ridiculous name and a ridiculous statement, no wonder you use a pseudonym!
Clio and fiesta while every drug dealer has a BMW or better.
Just use one of those cars after CAB sieze them.
Jesus it’s amateur stuff.
@Ciarán FitzGerald:The cars were for surveillance, not chases. Dealers buy cars in order to stand out; gardaí buy surveillance cars in order to blend in.
Legalise.
@Dunkel Master: legalise craic cocaine !!.
Are you on the the stuff ?
@Dunkel Master: And you will personally pick up the pieces??? Utterly irresponsible comment.
As an American, I think something really needs to be done about Dublin.
Why couldn’t they do the raid on there Normal hours? if they had it under surveillance then surely they done so on there normal working hours too
@Jennifer Mckeon: Oh, yep…Criminals only operate in ‘ working hours’..Hello???
@Jennifer Mckeon: it was being conducted during normal working hours, for one of the shifts; however both shifts were required for the search. Perhaps they should have asked the dealer what time suited him?
@Joe Bloggs: best comm award goes to you
@Joe Bloggs: best comm award goes to you
I knew it ,I tell people I once saw a little Renault with blue flashing lights speeding by me one day,they all laughed at me.
The cop say the woman was carrying €20,000 worth of cannabis? Ridiculous, cops are inflating the street value again.
As an American, I think something really needs to be about Dublin.
@John Jacobs: what ? Do you mean ‘done’ about dublin. If so… I’d interject that as a human. Something needs to he done about the USA
@John Jacobs: Yes. Dublin is a dive. (I don’t understand why any tourists would want to come here.)
The drug and gang situation will get worse unless there is an attempt to provide walk in detox services.
People going into prison should be detoxed.
(It would make sense to take some of the profit from the gangs by allowing adults to grow a couple of cannabis plants for personal use.)
Bullshit
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