Eight Cork deaths in three months linked to heroin use

As many as eight people are believed to have died from heroin use in Cork city in the past three months.

This was confirmed today by the city’s top garda officer who revealed that tackling the rising heroin problem was the main priority of Cork city gardaí.

Chief Superintendent Liam Hayes said additional garda resources had been put assigned to the Anglesea Street-based heroin unit to tackle the escalation in the availability of the killer drug in the city.

Chief Supt Hayes revealed that gardaí were now awaiting the results of tests after eight deaths in which heroin use was suspected as being a factor and that toxicology tests would establish for sure if heroin was a factor in the deaths.

Chief Supt Hayes said: “My first priority in the city is heroin. We made a large seizure last week and we will be keeping our concentration on it.”

A man has been charged with the record seizure of €230,000 of the drug in Cloghroe last Friday night.

The value of the seizure was the same as the total value of 159 seizures of the drug made in the Cork city garda division in 2008.

Gardaí are concerned the increased use of heroin will lead to an increase in crimes including burglary and robbery because addicts will have to steal to get money for feed their habit.

Chief Supt Hayes said there were 136 detections for drug dealing in Cork city in the first half of the year, with heroin accounting for 40%.

He revealed that there had been 777 detections for drug possession for personal use in the first six months of this year. That figure covers all drugs.

Gardaí have appealed for information from the public about heroin dealing in their area.

The Evening Echo newspaper revealed earlier this month that children as young as 14 years old are using the drug in Cork city.

Article courtesy of The Evening Echo newspaper.