Anti-drug dealing hotline led to arrests, study finds

CALLS to a community anti-drug dealing phone line led to the arrest and prosecution of suspected suppliers, according to a study.

An evaluation report of a trial confidential phone line in Blanchardstown, west Dublin, said one out of every four phone calls provided gardaí with useful information.

The review of Dial to Stop Drug Dealing was carried out in its first six weeks of operation. It found:

*296 calls were received by the phone line.

*100 detailed reports were sent to the gardaí.

*67 reports provided “somewhat useful or very useful” information to gardaí.

Joe Doyle, coordinator of the Blanchardstown Local Drug Task Force (LDTF), which set up the phone line, said it “enjoyed significant community support.”

He said: “People were empowered and used the facility to pass on valuable information.”

The study found that of the reports followed up by the drugs unit in Blanchardstown Garda Station:

*17% resulted in arrests with court cases pending.

*59% were part of ongoing investigations.

*7% were awaiting further information.

*17% were referred to other garda stations.

The report said phone calls “declined significantly” over the six weeks, with only 7% of calls made in the last two weeks.

The Blanchardstown LDTF called on their piloted helpline — which began last May and will continue until December — to be adapted on a national level.

Launching the report, drugs strategy minister Noel Ahern said he did not think he would back a national roll-out.

He said campaigns, like the phone line, were often successful in the short term, but that what was crucial was its ability to be an ongoing success.

Superintendent Gabriel McIntyre of Blanchardstown station said the phone line provided good information.

“A lot of it confirmed what we already knew. At the same time there was some fresh information that was relevant as well, that led to some searches and arrests.”

Community representative for Corduff Bernie Clarke said local people had confidence in the phone line and said it would be a “crying shame” if minister Ahern could not provide funding to keep it going.

Mr Ahern said that would be determined later and pointed out that Blanchardstown had received more than €21m in drugs funding over the last nine years.