Dealers threaten to burn homes of locals who speak out

A WOMAN living in a notorious inner city Dublin estate has been stabbed and others have been threatened with being burnt out of their homes if they attempt to stand up to a group of criminals openly selling class-A drugs in the area.

The threats were made after a Monday night meeting organised by the local community development association in Dolphin’s House — the largest social housing project in the country since the regeneration of Ballymun — had to be evacuated after a hoax bomb was found on the scene.

The meeting, which was attended by more than 100 people, including local gardaí and members of Dublin City Council, had been called after a spate of incidents in the area in recent months, including the daytime open sale of heroin and cocaine on the street.

Local residents have repeatedly contacted the authorities over the individuals involved, who are believed to be connected to individuals known to Gardaí in Drimnagh and Crumlin, resulting in an increased Garda presence in the area.

However, despite the increased protection, on Saturday night a group of men slashed the tyres of cars in the area, with others being photographed on mobile phones after the meeting and warned they will be burnt out of their homes if they stand up to the criminals threatening their community.

“The meeting on Monday was called to challenge these guys, and quite rightly. They’ve been calling people touts and it’s reached a level where people are afraid to speak out,” said local Labour councillor Eric Byrne.

“Those people are taking over the flats, they have extensive contacts outside the area, but catching them in the act is the problem.

“There are 400 families and children in the community, there are all sorts of positive things going on, but these thugs are holding everything back. What happened on Monday night was a disgrace, and it was a warning that won’t work,” he said.

The meeting on Monday is understood to have been under way for just 10 minutes when the community centre had to be evac

It is believed that the bomb scare was part of reprisals by drug dealers because of a strong Garda presence in the complex aimed at stopping drug-dealing in the area.

One resident said there were people outside the complex taking photographs of residents leaving the meeting.

“This is pure intimidation and people are terrified,” the individual said.

The meeting has been re-scheduled for next Monday at the same time in Dolphin’s House.