Gardaí unable to pursue 'legal high' prosecutions even if linked to cases of death

Gardai are unable to pursue prosecutions for the sale and possession of some ‘legal highs’ even if they have been linked deaths, according to a senior Garda in the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

“We have an issue with some new psychoactive substances… there are certain proofs we need for the courts and one of them is to prove they are psychoactive,” Detective Inspector Tony Howard told last night’s Í programme on RTÉ.

The psychoactive substance Clockwork Orange, in particular, was linked to the deaths of two young men in Monaghan earlier this year. The synthetic cannabis is predominantly sold online, but also by street dealers.