Written answers

Thursday, 8 June 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Drug Seizures

5:00 pm

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of seizures of cocaine; the volume of cocaine seized; the estimated value of the cocaine seized in respect of each of the past five years; if additional measures are planned to combat the spread of cocaine sale and usage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22148/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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One of the Government's key policing priorities for 2006 is to continue to target organised crime, including drug trafficking.

Efforts under the National Drugs Strategy to tackle cocaine use in particular are broadly based to include measures aimed at both supply and demand reduction, including awareness initiatives. This increasing use of cocaine is, of course, a matter of great concern and the Garda authorities have taken a wide number of measures to address the problem.

The Garda National Drugs Unit and local drugs units conduct intelligence-driven operations to target individuals suspected of involvement in the distribution of cocaine. Drug units and community policing personnel are engaged in intelligence gathering on individuals and groups suspected of involvement in the sale and distribution of the drug. There is also targeted patrolling by uniform and plain-clothes personnel of problem areas in order to detect and disrupt persons involved in such activity.

National units, such as the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation all have specific roles in reducing drug supply and confiscating the proceeds of criminality associated with drugs. All of these units operate under the direction of the Assistant Commissioner, National Support Services.

Data provided by the Garda authorities concerning the number, volume and value of cocaine seizures for the years 2001 to 2005, inclusive is summarised in the following table:

Year No. of cases Quantity Estimated street value
kg
2001 300 5.3 371,000
2002 429 31.7 2,219,000
2003 566 107.4 7,518,000
2004 753 167.3 11,711,000
2005 968 229.38 16,056,600

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