Tag Archives: cocaine

AT the age of 18, Jack (not his real name) has been through rehab twice, and now attends four or five meetings of Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous each week. The Shannon teenager started taking drugs aged 15, beginning a very rapid descent, after which he admits he is lucky to be alive. Now clean and sober for well over a year, he says his hometown is awash with drugs. Disturbingly, he believes the majority of teenagers in Shannon consume illegal substances. “If you went out and walked down the road and asked 10 people under 18 if they smoke weed or not – if they were being honest with you – I’d say at least six or seven of them would say yes.” The drugs are available from dozens of dealers, all over the town. “There are so many (dealers), I couldn’t even name them all. Literally every estate you go into four or five people are selling drugs. …

A Garda surveillance on a telephone pole paid off, when a 43-year-old drug dealer was spotted leaving two plastic lunch boxes, containing 12 bags of cocaine, at the pole. At Ennis District Court this week, Simon McDonagh of Aonach An Chláir, Clarecastle, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supplying cocaine, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act on March 14, 2017. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cocaine, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Patrick Durcan described the circumstances of the find as “fascinating” and said that he regarded the offence as very much at the upper end of Section 15 offences. Giving an outline of the facts in the case, Inspector Tom Kennedy said that Detective Garda Gary Stack was conducting a surveillance operation in a rural area at Lissane West, outside Clarecastle. He saw Simon McDonagh arrive and stoop down beside the telephone pole and place the two …

The Clare Divisional Drugs unit have arrested two people after they seized cocaine with an estimated value of €70,000 in Birdhill County Tipperary. Two people have been arrested following the operation in County Tipperary  and follow up searches were also carried out at a house in Newmarket on Fergus where drug paraphernalia were discovered. As part of ongoing investigations targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs in the mid-west region, a car was stopped and searched by gardaí from the Clare Divisional Drugs Unit in Birdhill, County Tipperary on Thursday, November 30. During the search gardaí discovered cocaine with an estimated street value of €70,000 pending analysis. Further searches were carried out at a house in Newmarket-on-Fergus where drug paraphernalia including a weighing scales and packaging were discovered. A man in his 30s and woman in her 20s have been arrested and are currently detained at Shannon Garda station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Drug Trafficking Act, …

A 62-year-old Clarecastle man has pleaded guilty to having €4,000 worth of cocaine in his possession for sale or supply at a sitting of Limerick District Court this week. Gerard Casey of 68 St Joseph’s Terrace, pleaded guilty to charges of having cocaine for sale or supply and possession of the illegal drug on April 20, 2017 at a sitting of Limerick City District Court on Monday, October 2. The Clarecastle man has admitted having the drugs at Bunlicky – a townland on the N18 earlier this year. The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to the matter being dealt with summarily before the district court on a plea of guilty only, and jurisdiction was accepted. A probation report was ordered and the matter was adjourned to December 6 next for this to be prepared and it is likely that sentencing will take place on that date.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross has today (Wednesday) announced the commencement of the drug driving provisions in the Road Traffic Act 2016. One of the key measures in the legislation provides for preliminary drug testing, which will enable gardaí to test motorists whom they suspect of driving under the influence of drugs at the roadside. The new garda powers mean gardaí can now establish roadside checkpoints, mandatory impairment checkpoints (MIT), to test drivers for the presence of both alcohol and drugs. The new drug testing devices (Dräger DrugTest 5000) involve testing a sample of a driver’s saliva for the presence of cannabis, cocaine, opiates (e.g. heroin, morphine) and benzodiazepines (e.g. valium). The new devices will also be available in Garda stations. The MBRS has found that of the 3,020 specimens of blood and urine that it received in 2016, 24% confirmed positive for drugs other than alcohol. Of these, 91% were specimens from male drivers, most …

Gardaí targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs in Ennis have seized cocaine and cannabis following a planned operation today (Thursday). Shortly after midday, members of Clare Drugs Divisional Unit discovered a significant quantity of cocaine, with an estimated value in excess of €60,000, and cannabis, with an estimated value in excess of €20,000, pending analysis, in an open area near Clonmore Road. Follow up searches and investigation are currently taking place and a man in his 30s has been arrested and is currently in custody at Ennis Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking ) Act 1996.

CONCERN has been expressed that the use of cocaine is back on the rise, with one county councillor describing it as “rampant”. Councillor Alan O’Callaghan highlighted the issue, advising the committee that he is aware of open cocaine use, particularly over the Christmas period. “It seems to be rampant and being publicly used, with people taking it off the back of a phone in the back of a smoking area. It is frightening to see it being used,” he said. Responding to the concern, Chief Superintendent John Kerin said, “Drugs are a fact of life; they are commonplace in every town and village”. He reminded the committee that this is an illegal activity and if people are aware that it is happening in pubs, they should bring it to the attention of the gardaí. “We do have undercover gardaí and if there is drug activity in pubs, we would be delighted to address the issue. It does not get immediate …

REVENUE seized approximately 75kg of cocaine, with an estimated street value of over €5 million, near Liscannor yesterday. The drugs were discovered with assistance from the general public through the Customs Drugs Watch Programme. Acting on a report from a member of the public, Revenue Customs officers from the South West region discovered a suspicious item on the shore near the North Clare fishing village, between Lahinch and the Cliffs of Moher. The “torpedo type” device was found to contain approximately 75kg of cocaine. The concealment may have been attached below the waterline of a cargo ship or other maritime vessel; however, it is not possible at this stage to say either where the drugs originated, or their intended destination. The public are asked not to put themselves in danger by approaching or interfering with suspicious items such as this. The Customs’ Drugs Watch Programme encourages those living in coastal communities, maritime personnel and people living near airfields to report …