Colombian cocaine traffickers target Ireland route

COLOMBIAN cocaine traffickers are targeting Ireland in an effort to open up new supply routes into Europe, the United Nations' leading drugs expert has said.

Dr Antonio Maria Costa said that while major inroads had been made in reducing the supply of cocaine, more needed to be done in Europe to reduce the demand for the drug.

Speaking in Dublin, the executive director of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said Colombian drug cartels were increasingly focusing supplies on Europe as a result of falling consumption in the US.