#Drugs Crisis

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#Drugs Crisis

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>At some jails, discretion had been used where a prisoner had made a 'once-off slippage', while in other cases, inmates were moved from an enhanced to a 'standard' regime instead of the lower 'basic' level.</p>

court and crime

Prisoners who failed or missed drug tests allowed to keep special privileges

Audit of the Irish Prison Service’s incentivised regime system found that in half of 201 cases involving failed or missed drug tests, the prisoner was not downgraded as required under policy

<p> Revenue's new Customs cutter ‘Cosaint’ will monitor and patrol Ireland’s 3,173km of coastline. Picture: Revenue</p>

court and crime

‘Ireland is awash with cocaine — we’re losing the battle,’ warns former Navy commander

<p>Some of the drugs worth €10.5m, which were found in an a lead-lined compartment, which found when a truck and trailer were searched at Rosslare Europort on Monday. Picture: An Garda Síochána/PA </p>

news

Gardaí believe they have taken out key transportation route for cocaine smugglers

Cannabis ready to roll

court and crime

Truck driver faces further wait for DPP directions in €2.1m cannabis case in Cork

Alleged 'logistics figure' refused bail in €32m Kerry crystal meth case

court and crime

Kerry crystal meth haul co-accused had 'no connection' to machine where drugs were found, court told

drug syringe and cooked heroin on spoon. drug addict problem and therapy concept

news

Questions over 'incomprehensible' exclusion of community groups from drugs strategy steering group

Discharge of sewage into a river

HSE tenders for €480k contract to test wastewater for 'objective, real-time' data on illicit drugs

The three-year contract will inform research, policy and practice in the HSE’s National Social Inclusion Office as part of an early warning system for drugs

Wed, 01 Oct, 2025

Drug Use in West Midlands, England

Cork judge notes 'very sad lives of addiction' of two men accused of stealing car

One of the accused told the court: 'If I go back to prison I will be on the floor and back to square one.'

Fri, 26 Sep, 2025

Two arrested after €15k cocaine and diamorphine seizure in Dublin raid

Two arrested after €15k cocaine and diamorphine seizure in Dublin raid

Gardaí seized €15,200 worth of cocaine and diamorphine, along with cash and phones, during a Dublin 1 operation

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

Medical Marijuana Edibles, Candies Infused with HHC Cannabis in food industry

Ireland's delay in banning HHC may have boosted demand

Teenagers in Ireland have become ill and had to be hospitalised due to vaping the semi-synthetic cannabinoid

Mon, 22 Sep, 2025

HSE to operate harm reduction tents at dance festival as high potency drugs circulate

HSE to operate harm reduction tents at dance festival as high potency drugs circulate

The aim is to help people 'reduce the harms and look after themselves and others, to help create a safer festival'

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025

Cork man jailed on theft and shoplifting charges claims to have an awakening

Cork man jailed on theft and shoplifting charges claims to have an awakening

The court was told the defendant started taking tablets and heroin after his father died when he was 13

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025

Man arrested in Cork on five-year-old drug charge hoped it had been forgotten

Man arrested in Cork on five-year-old drug charge hoped it had been forgotten

When he was arrested, the defendant gave a false name

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025

Cork gardaí investigating alleged Lithuanian crime gang compile 3,000-page file, court told

Cork gardaí investigating alleged Lithuanian crime gang compile 3,000-page file, court told

Sergeant John Kelleher gave details on the extent of the file as he explained why it was taking some time for DPP directions to be given in the case

Wed, 17 Sep, 2025

Limerick brothers charged with possession of cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply

Limerick brothers charged with possession of cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply

Court heard the drugs were allegedly offloaded to another man who stashed some of it in his underwear

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025

Woman feared for children's safety as Cork bag snatcher almost overturned buggy carrying infant

Woman feared for children's safety as Cork bag snatcher almost overturned buggy carrying infant

Woman from Northern Ireland was visiting Cork city for first time

Thu, 04 Sep, 2025

Cannabis ready to roll

Truck driver charged over €2.1m drug seizure in Cork remanded in custody

Man remanded the accused in custody until September 17

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

COLOMBIA-MARIJUANA-PROTEST

Cork man gets suspended sentence for fourth conviction for drug possession again

The defendant told Macroom District Court he took cannabis to help with pain management and worked as a panel beater

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

Community networks left out of National Drugs Strategy steering group for first time in 30 years

Community networks left out of National Drugs Strategy steering group for first time in 30 years

Department of health set up steering group last month

Mon, 01 Sep, 2025

drug syringe and cooked heroin on spoon. drug addict problem and therapy concept

Cork man accused of dealing from a 'drugs storehouse' remanded in custody

The court heard that the accused was found with €3,000 worth of heroin stuffed down his pants

Mon, 01 Sep, 2025

Cork City Hall event to hear about neuroscientist's recovery from 15-year heroin addiction

Cork City Hall event to hear about neuroscientist's recovery from 15-year heroin addiction

Ahead of the event, Brian Pennie said: 'Recovery is about so much more than simply getting clean. It’s about rebuilding your life from the inside out'

Mon, 01 Sep, 2025

HSE launch project in Cork to provide take-home medicine packs that reverse opioid overdoses

HSE launch project in Cork to provide take-home medicine packs that reverse opioid overdoses

The team will provide naloxone directly to people who have overdosed but decline ambulance transport to hospital

Fri, 29 Aug, 2025

HSE warns Electric Picnic festivalgoers over high-strength drugs in circulation

HSE warns Electric Picnic festivalgoers over high-strength drugs in circulation

The HSE has urged Electric Picnic attendees to use its on-site harm reduction tents as concerns grow over high-potency drugs

Wed, 27 Aug, 2025

Irish police

Co-operation with Poland leads to more than €8m worth of drugs seized in Ireland

Thirteen Polish nationals were arrested in Ireland during the course of the investigation

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Cannabis plants worth more than €750,000 seized in Co Louth

Cannabis plants worth more than €750,000 seized in Co Louth

A large-scale cannabis cultivation factory was found after a premises in Drogheda was searched by gardaí attached to the Dublin Crime Response Team

Wed, 06 Aug, 2025

Poison

Alcohol Ireland's leading addiction among those seeking treatment from services, new report shows

Alcohol accounted for 40% of all presentations to drug and alcohol treatment service Coolmine so far this year, followed by cocaine at 31%

Wed, 06 Aug, 2025

Cannabis ready to roll

Truck driver 'maintaining his innocence' over €2.1m cannabis seizure in Cork, court told

Cork District Court heard that the employers of the accused were 'very concerned about their truck'

Wed, 06 Aug, 2025

James Mahon: Hawk against the Dove photography exhibition

Woman who was homeless in Kildare says a stranger’s kindness saved her life

Antoinette Foley, who is recovering from addiction to heroin and crack cocaine, has urged people not to make assumptions about people who are sleeping rough

Mon, 04 Aug, 2025

Cocaine seizure

Gardaí investigate narco-subs used by cartels to smuggle cocaine into Ireland

Gardaí are probing how narco-subs used by South American cartels could be moving drugs into Irish and European waters

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025

Alcohol Change UK survey

Alcohol and drug treatment cases jump almost 80% since 2017

Cocaine replaced cannabis in 2022 as the most common additional drug, according to a report from the Health Research Board

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

Garda inscription on a police jacket from Ireland

Drug searches in Ireland fall by 7,000 amid garda staffing crisis

Drug searches fell by 15% last year, with garda unions warning of staff shortages and 1,900 possible retirements by 2028

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

Courts of Criminal Justice, Dublin

Five men jailed for roles in 'cruel and sadistic' torture of woman over false accusation

The sentencing judge said the offending 'demonstrates the evils associated with the drugs trade' and its wider criminal associations

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

Medical Marijuana Edibles, Candies Infused with CBD HHC or THC Cannabis in food industry

Ireland finally bans HHC 'but we must be vigilant about new drugs’

HHC, widely available to children as vapes and edibles, has been linked to serious medical episodes and psychosis here in Ireland

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

HHC added to list of illegal drugs in Ireland by health minister

HHC added to list of illegal drugs in Ireland by health minister

The import, export, production, possession, sale, or supply of products containing HHC is now illegal.

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Despair

Diversion scheme for those caught in possession of drugs to be in place by November

Health intervention to operate on discretion of gardaí

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Oberstown Campus

Cork teenager who threatened to kill woman told by judge to sort out his drug and anger issues

Judge Carroll told the youth that he has great potential but she said: 'You need structure, you need routine.'

Mon, 28 Jul, 2025

Man arrested after cannabis worth €2.1m seized in Cork

Man arrested after cannabis worth €2.1m seized in Cork

Revenue officers seized 107kgs of herbal cannabis at the Port of Cork on Sunday with the help of detector dog Rua

Mon, 28 Jul, 2025

Courts of Criminal Justice, Dublin

Woman will never forgive the 'sick human beings' who tortured her over false accusation

The woman was left with a broken eye socket, broken cheekbone, broken nasal bone, broken elbow, burns, dislocated teeth, bruising and lacerations

Fri, 25 Jul, 2025

Number of festivals to have HSE's harm reduction initiative is halved ahead of drugs strategy review

Number of festivals to have HSE's harm reduction initiative is halved ahead of drugs strategy review

HSE says it can't expand its Safer Nightlife Programme in its 'current format' and hopes for a policy change

Fri, 25 Jul, 2025

Man in prison hands of behind hold Steel cage jail bars. offender criminal locked in jail.

Prisons turned into 'human warehouses' by chronic overcrowding — Council of Europe inspectors

Overcrowding, violence — and a mentally-ill female prisoner who 'had not had access to a shower for four days' — among issues raised by the Council of Europe Committee on the Prevention of Torture

Thu, 24 Jul, 2025

Cannabis ready to roll

Man convicted for possession of drugs is 'at a crossroads', says judge

Kyle Fahy admitted to the possession of cannabis at his residence on November 7, 2024, and to the possession of cannabis and cocaine on January 12, 2025

Wed, 23 Jul, 2025

'I'm not taking the blame for any of this': Court hears of 'narco boat' in failed smuggling operation

'I'm not taking the blame for any of this': Court hears of 'narco boat' in failed smuggling operation

Gardaí believe that the rigid inflatable boat left Tragumna on March 12, 2024, in a failed bid to meet the Cool Explorer to pick up some 850kg of cocaine while at sea

Wed, 23 Jul, 2025

drug syringe and cooked heroin on spoon. drug addict problem and therapy concept

Community collaboration is 'critical' to drug strategy success, report says

Funding and staffing constraints affecting local projects, evaluation states

Tue, 22 Jul, 2025

Heroin in Kerry: 'They want to pretend it's not happening'

Heroin in Kerry: 'They want to pretend it's not happening'

Sarah Horgan talks to a recovering addict, a local resident, and health professionals — including a needle exchange worker who says some people are slow to acknowledge the problem

Mon, 21 Jul, 2025

Bags of cocaine from cargo ship had GPS tags, Special Criminal Court hears

Bags of cocaine from cargo ship had GPS tags, Special Criminal Court hears

More detail from the conspiracy to import drugs trial will be heard on Tuesday

Mon, 21 Jul, 2025

Cocaine in plastic packet on black background

Man was selling cocaine for well-known Bandon family, court hears

Bandon District Court was told that the accused was 'acting at the behest' of a family from Bandon who were well-known to the court and involved in drug-dealing

Mon, 21 Jul, 2025

drug syringe and cooked heroin on spoon. drug addict problem and therapy concept

'Young people and rural areas let down by lack of drug treatment and prevention services'

Independent evaluation of Government’s drug strategy makes 10 strategic recommendations

Mon, 21 Jul, 2025

drug syringe and cooked heroin on spoon. drug addict problem and therapy concept

Cork woman to be sentenced in October for dealing heroin two years ago

Cork District Court heard that the 35-year-old woman has detoxed completely and accessed services in Limerick Prison

Fri, 18 Jul, 2025

Two arrested after gardaí seize drugs worth over €715,000 in Dublin

Two arrested after gardaí seize drugs worth over €715,000 in Dublin

While on routine patrol in the Rathcoole/City west areas of Dublin, gardaí stopped a vehicle at around 3:45am

Thu, 17 Jul, 2025

Drug taker

Available, affordable, potent: Ireland is being hit by 'a perfect storm' of cocaine

A new HRB study links the availability, affordability, and purity of cocaine being trafficked into Ireland with a massive surge in cocaine-related admissions to hospitals

Thu, 17 Jul, 2025