Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has been informed by the Garda authorities that provisional figures for the period January to August 2012 indicate that a total 11,263 drug offences were detected and 9,743 related arrests were made. The Minister is further informed that, based on figures provided to An Garda Síochána by the Forensic Science Laboratory in relation to quantities of drugs analysed at the laboratory, drugs with an estimated value of €59.3 million were recorded as seized during the first six months of the year. It should be noted that these seizure data do not include a number of significant seizures made at the end of this period, which remain the subject of further analysis, including the largest ever inland seizure of cocaine made in the jurisdiction. These will be reflected in the Forensic Science Laboratory returns for the third quarter of the year.

The House will recall that in June, as part of an ongoing intelligence-led operation targeting organised crime, the Garda national drugs unit, working with colleagues from the Revenue customs service, seized in excess of an estimated 400 kg of cocaine following searches carried out in west Dublin and Kildare and arrested a number of key players involved in the drugs trade.

The House can be assured that An Garda Síochána continues to tackle drug crime proactively in the jurisdiction. In tackling the illicit drug trade, the Garda national drugs unit, working closely with dedicated divisional and district drug units and other national units, including the organised crime unit as well as the Criminal Assets Bureau, targets persons involved in the illicit sale and supply of drugs. Specific strategies have been put in place by An Garda Síochána to address the sale, supply, importation and distribution of illegal drugs, and this approach continues to result in significant drug seizures and the related arrests of those involved in drug trafficking and other forms of criminality.

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In this past week alone a number of further operations undertaken have given rise to significant success. Last weekend, we saw significant Garda operations carried out in Galway and Enniscorthy targeted at cannabis growing houses. A further such operation was carried out in Roscommon yesterday. On Monday, as part of an intelligence-led operation by the Garda national drugs unit and the Waterford divisional drugs unit, in conjunction with the Revenue customs service, a further significant seizure of synthetic drugs with an estimated value of €800,000 was made in Waterford.

The Minister wishes to assure the Deputy that drug law enforcement remains a key priority area for An Garda Síochána and the Government as part of its overall comprehensive approach in tackling the problem of drug misuse under our National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016.

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