Cork vigilantes vow to kill drug dealers

VIGILANTES have threatened to kill anyone who continues to deal drugs on the southside of Cork city.

A number of men wearing dark clothing visited pubs last weekend and distributed leaflets warning of lethal consequences for drug dealers.

Up to half-a-dozen men, linked to the dissident republican group, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, distributed the leaflets in pubs in Passage West and Rochestown and the city suburbs of Ballyphehane and Togher last Friday.

In a chilling warning, the group said it had drawn up a “new list of drug dealers” and would kill those who continued to deal drugs.

“There will be no more individual warnings or knocks on the door. This is your warning and if you continue to deal drugs then you will be held accountable for your actions by lethal force,” the leaflet said.

The matter was discussed at a joint policing meeting of Passage West Town Council on Monday, which was attended by gardaí.

A senior garda source said: “The matter is currently under investigation. We are taking this seriously.”

Cllr Seamus McGrath, a member of Cork County Council and Passage West Town Council, said he regarded it as a very serious development.

“Drug dealers should be vigorously pursued, but this should be left to the gardaí and not carried out by vigilantes. I would urge people to assist the gardaí in this matter and not to take the law into their own hands.”

Senator Jerry Buttimer echoed those sentiments and added that emotions were running high because of the recent number of heroin deaths in the city.

“Those who are aware of drugs dealers have a duty to report such matters to the gardaí. There should be no tolerance for vigilantism.”