Top Garda vows to beat Donegal's drugs 'scourge'

Donegal's top Garda has vowed to tackle the drug problem that has been described as a 'scourge' on the county.

Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken says he is committed to the establishment of a full-time unit in the Donegal Garda Division that will be dedicated to waging war on drugs.

In the first five months of 2023, 25 people were arrested in Donegal for the sale or supply of illegal drugs. A further 132 arrests were made for the possession of illegal drugs.

“Drugs is money and drugs is driven by greed,” Chief Superintendent Glacken told a meeting of the Donegal Joint Policing Committee in Lifford on Friday.

“Any criminal will delve into something where there is a profit.

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“Anyone who takes a line of cocaine at the weekend or has a casual dug, a socially-accepted drug, is fuelling criminality. I don't mind saying that and I don't mind getting criticised for saying that. If you don't create a market, you don't have the criminals. Anyone casually deciding to take drugs is fuelling criminality.”

Chief Superintendent Glacken, who also oversees the Sligo and Leitrim Garda Divisions, says there has been a 'substantial increase' in cocaine use, across every sector of society.

He said: “There is a certain omerta in society around Donegal about drugs, the transportation of drugs, the taking of drugs. That omerta needs to finish. I am committed to establishing a full-time drugs unit in this Division. We will have people located right across the Division.”

An ongoing investigation in Letterkenny is centring on organised crime, including those involved in the sale or supply of drugs and money laundering.

Criminals in the area, he said, have 'tentacles to other parts of the country'. Twenty people have so far arrested and charged as part of the operation and officers are liaising with the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) to follow money and link assets arising out of criminal activity.

So far in 2023, there have been 654 mandatory intoxicant testing (MIT) checkpoints conducted in Donegal with 154 people arrested for driving under the influence. Of those, 45 were arrested for drug driving.

Councillor Michael McClafferty said the 'drugs situation is out of hand'.

He said: “It really has got out of control. I would be afraid that our county is seen as a dumping ground or easy picking for these criminals. It's hard not to think that.”

Donegal JPC Chairperson Councillor Gerry McMonagle said drugs are the 'biggest scourge' in Donegal. He said: “A lot of crime emanates from buying or selling drugs or indulging in the taking of drugs.”

Councillor Barry Sweeney said the figures presented were 'very stark'.

“We see the figures in drug-driving being almost a quarter of the overall intoxicant detections,” Councillor Sweeney said. “We really need to bolster the resources and keep on top of the problem.”

Councillor Nicholas Crossan said drugs was the biggest problem facing the youth of Ireland.

“Drugs can be picked up on any corner of any street in any town,” he said. “We need this drugs unit in Donegal.”