Beach poster campaign bids to beat drug smugglers

Drug smugglers using coastal towns are being targeted in a hard-hitting campaign by customs officers, it emerged today.

Vigilant beach users along the east coast are being urged to report any suspicious activity to officials.

Sixty metal signs have been placed along sea fronts in counties Meath, Dublin and Wicklow, warning local residents and holidaymakers to note anything unusual they hear or see.

If successful, the pilot scheme - which runs from Gormanstown to Wicklow town - will be rolled out nationwide.

A customs spokeswoman said the posters had been placed in particular points where people going on to beaches will see them straight away.

"We will assess the reaction from the general public, how well the scheme works and how many calls we get," she said.

"We then plan to roll it out all over the country."

Last year customs officials seized drugs with an estimated street value of almost €139m.

The haul included the country's largest ever seizure of 1,500 kilos of cocaine in July in west Cork.

The 62 bales, worth around €107m, were washed up at Dunlough Bay.

Three men are currently standing trial over the seizure of cocaine, which was later claimed to be worth four times the original estimate.

At the opening of their trial in Cork, the prosecution claimed the cocaine seized was found to be 75% pure, giving it a value of €440m.

The Revenue Commissioners said the latest move is the updating of a drug watching scheme launched in 2003. Booklets were published and placed in yacht and sailing clubs, harbour terminals, and handed to hauliers and some households along the coast.

Officials hope the new initiative will beat the war against drugs.

Dog walkers and joggers are among those being targeted in the awareness campaign.

The customs drug watch posters ask members of the public if they have seen or heard anything suspicious and asked them to call a confidential free hotline number.

The spokeswoman said they are designed so they can by accessed by all beach users.

"Each sign has its own identification number so when someone calls us we know exactly where they are," she added.

"It means that people visiting a beach, as well as local people who know an area well, will be able to tell us exactly where they have seen something suspicious."