#Drugs Crisis

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#Drugs Crisis

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>The court heard that gardaí with a warrant went to search the house where the accused was living and found the stash of cannabis in a large black plastic bag in a shed at the rear of the house. File picture</p>

court and crime

Cork drug addict jailed for storing €56k of cannabis in garden shed

The judge told the defendant: 'It is no exaggeration to say that your life has been destroyed by drugs.'

<p>Tributes laid outside the home of Philip and Kim English who died in an arson attack alongside their sons Callum and Jayden in Waterford. File picture: Micheal O Scannail/Press Association </p>

spotlight

'You wake up with it, you go to sleep with it': Drug-related violence plagues Waterford families

<p> A Lending Hand is not a charity. It relies on donations and the efforts of volunteers who have built relationships with people sleeping rough over many years.</p>

spotlight

We spent a night on the streets with a homeless support group — here's what happened

'Senior drugs figure' in Cork City admits cocaine and weapons charges

court and crime

'Senior drugs figure' in Cork City admits cocaine and weapons charges

Graduation Ceremony, Garda College, Templemore

court and crime

Gardaí tender for €1.5m service to test its members for drugs

'Things are only going to get worse': Families affected by drug intimidation hold vigil outside Dáil

news

'Things are only going to get worse': Families affected by drug intimidation hold vigil outside Dáil

Baby stock

Government urged to tackle foetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Campaigners want ministers to address foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, warning Ireland remains among the countries with the highest estimated prevalence rates

Mon, 02 Nov, 2026

Garda Graduation

Waterford family deaths: Gardaí still investigating 'other avenues' even after two charged

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly told the Policing and Community Safety Authority: 'This is not the end of this. This is ongoing'

Thu, 29 Oct, 2026

Man who threatened Cobh man for payment of his son's drug debt given suspended sentence

Man who threatened Cobh man for payment of his son's drug debt given suspended sentence

Cork District Court heard that the man was put in such fear by the nature of the demand that it took him two months before he felt able to make a complaint to An Garda Síochána

Thu, 29 Oct, 2026

Suspicions about Fedex parcel leads to conviction of Cork man for drugs offences

Suspicions about Fedex parcel leads to conviction of Cork man for drugs offences

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that the accused decided to accept the collection of the parcel with the cannabis in it when he was 'struggling financially and in poor mental health'

Wed, 28 Oct, 2026

synthetic white crystal drugs, white powder cocaine amphetamine

Cork man told to donate €300 to court poor box after cocaine possession

Richard Harvey gave two negative urine samples and told Bantry District Court he had given up drugs completely

Wed, 28 Oct, 2026

FRANCE-DEMO-DRUG-CANNABIS

Cork electrician disqualified for 12 months after failing roadside cannabis test

Clonakilty District Court heard the electrician co-operated with gardaí and had no previous convictions, while a separate possession charge was struck out

Wed, 28 Oct, 2026

COLOMBIA-MARIJUANA-PROTEST

West Cork woman who admitted cannabis possession ordered to undergo random drug tests

Court told defendant was not the target of the Garda warrant to search the Macroom premises and no longer used drugs

Tue, 27 Oct, 2026

Man charged after €140k worth of cocaine allegedly seized in Cork

Man charged after €140k worth of cocaine allegedly seized in Cork

The accused is also charged with money-laundering by allegedly having €25,950 in cash

Tue, 27 Oct, 2026

James Leen denies all charges in €32m Kerry crystal meth case

James Leen denies all charges in €32m Kerry crystal meth case

The case relates to the seizure of 564kg of methamphetamine, or crystal meth, with an estimated value of €32.8 million from a container at Cork Port on February 16, 2024

Tue, 27 Oct, 2026

Dublin councillors seek meeting with Garda commissioner over drug-dealing in north inner city

S Dublin councillors seek meeting with Garda commissioner over drug-dealing in north inner city

Councillors described widespread concern among residents about open drug-dealing and intimidation in some communities

Tue, 27 Oct, 2026

Cocaine in plastic packet on black background

Cork woman 'panicky and upset' when stopped with €243,000 cocaine

Confidential information prompted gardaí to place a Cork woman under surveillance before she collected over €243,000 worth of cocaine in Portlaoise, court hears

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

Cork man accused of drug-dealing kisses partner during court case

Cork man accused of drug-dealing kisses partner during court case

The defendant's solicitor told the judge it was his client's 41st birthday

Wed, 21 Oct, 2026

Waterford arson attack funeral

Plea for families facing drug-related intimidation to go to the gardaí

Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan backed a Sinn Féin motion on the issue, saying a united response from Dáil Éireann was 'extremely important'

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026

A small pile of white powder on a dark surface

Cork man jailed for drug-dealing 'actually thanked the guards' for their handling of his case

The man was caught with €2.4k of cocaine at his Cork apartment on New Year's Day

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Clonakilty man jailed for his part in attack on Skibbereen home over drug debt

Clonakilty man jailed for his part in attack on Skibbereen home over drug debt

Judge said 'it was a very violent crime'

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Garda inscription on a police jacket from Ireland

Gardaí investigate 'vast wealth' earned by gang involved with vape products

Gardaí gather evidence, €3m of illegal products and €235,000 cash

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Waterford City house fire deaths

Families plagued by drug-related intimidation plan Leinster House protest

Families plan a Leinster House protest as new figures reveal rising drug-related arson attacks and intimidation cases across Ireland

Fri, 16 Oct, 2026

Young Cork man charged in connection with €50k drugs seizure

Young Cork man charged in connection with €50k drugs seizure

The accused is also charged with money-laundering of €4,930 that he allegedly possessed as the proceeds of crime

Thu, 15 Oct, 2026

Garda lantern sign

Reports of drug-related intimidation up by over 30% in the past five years, say gardaí

Senior drugs squad officers say 96% of victims do not make formal complaints

Thu, 15 Oct, 2026

National Drugs Strategy 2026–2030

Three national networks criticise Government's new drugs strategy

New strategy doesn’t protect the independent capacity of communities to operate and organise themselves, shape policy and hold the State accountable, say national networks

Thu, 15 Oct, 2026

Waterford City house fire deaths

Waterford family murder: Manhunt under way after fatal Birchwood estate arson attack

Two children remain critically ill after the suspected petrol-bomb attack, as gardaí search properties and appeal for information

Thu, 15 Oct, 2026

'People can’t cope with the stress, they can’t eat, can’t sleep, they can’t function'

S 'People can’t cope with the stress, they can’t eat, can’t sleep, they can’t function'

Waterford City councillor John Hearne says he has dealt with cases of people being beaten with hammers, mothers paralysed with fear in their homes and attempting suicides due to the stress of constant drug-related intimidation

Thu, 15 Oct, 2026

Waterford family's deaths in fire 'due to a €20k drug debt’

Waterford family's deaths in fire 'due to a €20k drug debt’

One of Philip English's sons stated that the fire bombing was due to a drug debt as gardaí said their investigation is 'intense in nature and very active'

Thu, 15 Oct, 2026

Waterford City house fire deaths

Waterford murders: Gardaí probe suspected drugs link to fire that claimed four lives

Gardaí are investigating a possible link between the arson attack and a drug debt owed by a person known to murdered family

Wed, 14 Oct, 2026

Cork gardaí bring more drugs charges against alleged dealer

Cork gardaí bring more drugs charges against alleged dealer

Sergeant John Dineen said the Director of Public Prosecutions had given directions in the case for the charges to be dealt with at Cork Circuit Criminal Court

Tue, 13 Oct, 2026

National Drugs Strategy 2026–2030

New national drugs strategy pledges raft of actions to prevent drug use

Together with the 90-page strategy, the Government also published a 40-page action plan, setting out steps that are due to be taken

Tue, 13 Oct, 2026

Business people working

Government plans to back 1,000 new start-ups with investments up to €100,000

A separate AI Accelerator will match global leaders such as Google, AWS, Anthropic, and OpenAIwith promising Irish AI firms

Mon, 12 Oct, 2026

File Photo The Health Service Executive has said it is working to establish how many patients may need to have their medical tes

HSE warns about unpredictable effects of 'sophisticated-looking party drug' spreading around Irish cities

The brightly coloured powder being sold as 'pink cocaine' is a synthetic drug fused with MDMA and ketamine

Fri, 09 Oct, 2026

State given another four weeks to analyse cocaine found in luggage at Cork Airport

State given another four weeks to analyse cocaine found in luggage at Cork Airport

The flight passenger is charged with possession of €1m of cocaine at the airport and having the drug for sale or supply to others

Thu, 08 Oct, 2026

Cannabis ready to roll

Gardaí arrest two men after €500k cannabis seizure in Cork

Both men were allowed out on bail with conditions

Wed, 07 Oct, 2026

Garda stock

Two men charged following €350,000 suspected cannabis seizure in Cork city

The men are due before Cork District Court after gardaí searched a domestic residence in Togher on Monday night

Wed, 07 Oct, 2026

Cork man accused of endangering people at bus stop when out-of-control car hit kerb

Cork man accused of endangering people at bus stop when out-of-control car hit kerb

Cork District Court heard that a book of evidence containing eight charges, including a count of drug-dealing, is in the course of being prepared

Tue, 06 Oct, 2026

Young Cork man flees custody as he is being brought to court

Cork man who allegedly fled garda escort on way to court remanded in custody

The accused told the court: 'I am not trying to avoid this, I just found myself in a bad predicament.'

Mon, 05 Oct, 2026

Man facing charges over alleged €60m West Cork drug trafficking suffers heart attack

Man facing charges over alleged €60m West Cork drug trafficking suffers heart attack

Ali Ghasemi Mazidi is one of the ten men arrested in the West Cork villages of Tragumna and Leap in March 2024. He is contesting the charges

Mon, 05 Oct, 2026

'I don't like video link': Cork man asks to attend court for next proceedings in his case

'I don't like video link': Cork man asks to attend court for next proceedings in his case

The man is accused of dealing crack cocaine at Sidney Hill in Cork

Fri, 02 Oct, 2026

Cork man to appear for 13th time in court over €329 drugs possession case

Cork man to appear for 13th time in court over €329 drugs possession case

The judge said he will strike out the case if there are no DPP directions by then

Fri, 02 Oct, 2026

12/3/2018 Gardai Checkpoints

Gardaí investigating drugs-related intimidation make six arrests

The people detained range in age from 20s to 50s

Tue, 29 Sep, 2026

Garda stock

Gardaí seize 16kgs of cocaine and 3.8kgs of heroin in operation on drug networks

Gardaí have landed a considerable haul of drugs in operations targeting regional drug networks in the North West, the East, and Dublin. They seized a total of 16kgs of cocaine, with an estimated street value of €1. 6million, and almost 3.

Thu, 24 Sep, 2026

Alcohol at 12, drugs by 14: Irish woman, 23, shares her story of recovery from addiction

S Alcohol at 12, drugs by 14: Irish woman, 23, shares her story of recovery from addiction

As the Substance Use Regional Forum marks Recovery Month, Emma Lynch has been speaking about her recovery from alcohol and drugs

Wed, 23 Sep, 2026

Cork man had €4k of ketamine on him when arrested after throwing packet of white powder into river

Cork man had €4k of ketamine on him when arrested after throwing packet of white powder into river

Luke Aherne had been given an opportunity to avoid prison by having a 10-month sentence suspended on condition that he would co-operate with the probation report

Tue, 22 Sep, 2026

Eastern Region Armed Response Unit

'Their empire hasn’t gone away,' say gardaí as Kinahan cartel mobile drug lab is seized

More than 490 people were arrested internationally and 157 tonnes of drugs were seized in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe

Tue, 22 Sep, 2026

Cannabis ready to roll

Garda file on €1.6m cannabis case in Cork sent to DPP

Cork District Court also heard that a certificate of forensic analysis had been completed in respect of the seizure

Mon, 21 Sep, 2026

Garda stock

Kinahan cartel believed to be behind mobile drug lab seized under major international policing operation

The cartel – which has restructured in Spain around a new operational figure – was trafficking in cocaine impregnated into wood shipped over by Colombian suppliers.

Mon, 21 Sep, 2026

Man in critical condition after drone delivers dangerous drugs to Midlands Prison

Man in critical condition after drone delivers dangerous drugs to Midlands Prison

The drugs, which were in tablet form, were dropped in the D-yard of the Co Laois prison on Friday, sources said

Sat, 19 Sep, 2026