Gardaí quiz man over biggest drug haul of the year

A YOUNG man was in custody yesterday after the biggest ecstasy find by gardaí this year, with more than 180,000 tablets seized.

The drugs, with a street value of €1.8 million, were discovered after detectives swooped on a man who was getting out of his car at Neilstown Drive, Clondalkin. The 20-year-old local was searched and taken to Clondalkin Garda Station for questioning.

Officers with the Garda National Drugs Unit were involved in the operation.

It is thought the ecstasy tablets were brought from Holland and destined for a west Dublin gang.

The man being questioned is linked to a dealer believed to be behind the shooting of Damien Dowdall in Clondalkin last week. He is facing charges on a serious crime committed at the end of 2005.

A growing number of families, meanwhile, are being attacked by drug dealers because of minor debts owed by addicts.

The Family Support Network (FSN), established eight years ago to help the families of drug users, last night used the annual commemorative Mass for those who die through drug use to call for urgent action to prevent people being victimised.

A crowd of more than 800 people, many of whom have seen first-hand the increasing level of violence associated with the drugs trade, attended the Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in the Dublin city centre.

Organiser and FSN staff member, Sadie Grace, said drug users were beaten or shot over debts of as little as €50.

“We hear about it on a weekly basis now, and it’s not even reported (to the gardaí),” she said.

“People are terrified. If the drug dealer does not get the money from the drug user, then they target the families. A lot of the time we are talking about amounts as small as €50.”

Ms Grace said the rise in cocaine use across all sections of society had added to the problem, with addicts needing more money to feed their expensive habit.

She said violence perpetrated against users and their families had been on the increase for the past two years, which she attributed to a number of factors, like younger drug dealers “who just don’t care.”

The FSN, which has affiliations with 80 groups nationwide, submitted a proposal three weeks ago to the National Drugs Strategy team, advocating funds for specific measures to help families of drug users, including those targeted by dealers.