Vigilantism rejected as way to fight drug dealers

POLITICIANS and senior gardaí have reacted angrily to comments made by a man claiming to represent the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, who suggested on a radio show that he could help organise vigilante action against drug dealers operating in a part of Cork city.

Following the comments on local radio yesterday, members of the Cork City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) said there was no place for vigilantes in Cork and that the gardaí were the only force that should tackle drug dealing.

Addressing the JPC meeting in City Hall, Lord Mayor Terry Shannon said he was “disappointed” that a member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, which he claimed was the political representative of dissident republicans, was allowed air time on radio.

“They were putting out a call for people on the northside to contact them if they had problems with drug dealing. It was clearly intimated that there would be vigilantism and marches on people’s homes.

“I am calling on people to go to the gardaí first. This call to vigilantism must be rejected. We’re not prepared to see sinister groups coming out of the shadows.

“They’re trying to hoodwink members of the public to think there is a quick fix. I’m saying to the people of Cork, ‘reject these people’. The gardaí will deal with the drug dealers, not these sinister republicans.”

The chairman of the JPC, Cllr Patricia Gosh (FG), agreed with the lord mayor, as did TD Jerry Buttimer (FG) who said everybody had to stand behind the Garda. Fine Gael TD Dara Murphy described the radio interview as “an absolute disgrace”.

The spokesman for the 32 County Sovereignty Movement made his comments after claims in a newspaper that heroin dealers were trying to wean young people onto the drug by providing free samples in the Mayfield area of Cork.

Chief Superintendent Michael Finn said he had personally spoken to youngsters in Mayfield who had “laughed” at the idea that drugs were being provided free.

He said it was unlikely, but nevertheless gardaí would do their very best to stamp out any drug dealing in the area. The senior garda said that, while all drugs presented a problem, it appeared the use of heroin was decreasing in the city.

A total of €32,000 worth of heroin was seized in entire Cork City Garda Division this year, compared with €128,000 last year.