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THERE has been no apparent drop in the amount of drugs in circulation despite a massive rise in drug seizures, according to the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. The new strategy, which has been seen by the Irish Examiner, reports that drug seizure targets set in the previous drugs strategy covering 2001-2008, have been surpassed in most cases:
* The number of drug seizures have risen by 59%, compared with a target of 20%.
* The volume of drugs seized rose by 50%, equal to target level.
* The number of supply detections jumped by 125%, compared with a target of 20%.
The strategy said the increases represented "important operational successes" for law enforcement agencies, mainly due to ongoing co-operation by gardaí and Customs.
Garda sources have indicated to the Irish Examiner that intelligence information gathered by them, and Customs, has improved considerably in recent years, leading to the increased seizures.
But the drugs strategy, published by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, said a steering group set up by it to make proposals for a new strategy could not come to a conclusion about the effect seizures had on supply.
"However, the steering group notes that the impact of increased seizures on the overall supply of illicit drugs is difficult to determine.
"Due to the problems associated with estimating the size of the illegal drug market in Ireland, it is difficult to conclude whether increased seizures are actually resulting in a reduction in overall supply – or whether the overall supply of drugs has increased and the percentage of seizures has remained relatively even."
Elsewhere, the strategy said: "Drugs are generally more widely accessible to young people."
The new strategy sets a target of a 25% increase in the number of seizures and seizure volumes by the mid-way stage of the strategy, in 2012.
Supply reduction is one of the main pillars of the strategy, the others being prevention, treatment and rehabilitation and research.
The supply reduction strategy also calls for specific action to deal with a growing problem in recent years of drug gangs using young children as runners. "The issue of young children (some under the legal age of culpability) being used by those involved in the drugs trade to "run" drugs is also a major concern.
"These children are particularly sought by drug dealers to avoid detection as it is known that many will not be subject to legal penalty."
The strategy said there has been an 18% increase in general Garda resources in the 13 local drug taskforces areas (LDTFs) between 2001 and 2007. Specifically, there has been a 36% rise in resources to community policing and a 35% jump in relation to drug units.
In addition, it said the Garda Organised Crime Unit was set up to target serious crime gangs, while the Criminal Assets Bureau had trained profilers in each Garda division to help target local drug bosses.
However, it said that progress to set up community policing fora in all LDTFs had been slow, with only three in operation. Progress on this was a "key priority" for the new strategy.
It also called for a drugs intervention programme, including a treatment option, for those, particularly the young, who come to the attention of gardaí because of substance misuse. |
