Phone tapping urged to target crime bosses

GARDAÍ have asked the Government for greater powers to conduct electronic surveillance of major drug dealers and other serious criminals as part of a crackdown on organised crime.

In a written submission, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has also called for an end to the system whereby people can buy prepaid mobile phones without registering their names or addresses. Pay-as-you-go phones are popular among organised criminals, particularly drug dealers, as they cannot be traced to their owners.

The AGSI has asked Justice Minister Michael McDowell to change the law to allow recordings from electronic surveillance - including landlines, mobile phones, faxes and emails - to be used in court as evidence.