Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 145: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the number of drug arrests at Dublin Airport arising from the Johannesburg, Zurich, Dublin route; the number of such arrests there have been in the past 24 months; the measures being taken to tackle traffickers on this route and all routes coming into Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25999/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that there have been 2 drugs arrests from the Johannesburg — Zurich — Dublin Airport route in the past 24 months. However, during that period, there were 7 drugs arrests in total of passengers who arrived in Dublin Airport from Johannesburg via European Airports.

The total Drug seizures from passengers originating in Johannesburg over the past 24 months amount to 120.64kg of Herbal Cannabis and 1.5kg of Cocaine with a total combined value of €607,680. The total value of Drugs seized in Dublin Airport in 2006 was €7,225,480 and the value so far in 2007 is €5,457,179.

Revenue's Customs Service in Dublin Airport is continuously engaged in the analysis and evaluation of seizure trends, traffic frequency, route and similar risk indicators. In addition to local intelligence, the Customs Service in Dublin Airport shares and receives information and intelligence on drug smuggling from a number of international bodies including the World Customs Organisation, United Nations Drug Control Programme, Interpol, Council of Europe, Europol and the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency.

The Customs Service in Dublin Airport also liases on an ongoing basis with other national and international enforcement services such as the Garda Síochána, the Air Corps, and foreign customs and police services. It regularly takes part in European, bilateral and national surveillance operations focused at specific drug smuggling methodologies.

I am also advised that an additional 14 staff resources were recently appointed to Dublin Airport to increase the regular enforcement operational resources there to 50. Furthermore, in early 2007, the Customs Service in Dublin Airport set up a dedicated Intelligence, Risk Analysis and Profiling Unit in support of operational enforcement teams. This unit will develop and improve intelligence-gathering methods, profiling and risk analysis in relation to approximately 3,800 flights arriving into and departing from Dublin Airport each week.