Young criminals getting rich quick from sale of cocaine and developing 'Al Capone mindset'

Former assistant garda commissioner Michael O’Sullivan, who is now Director of the Maritime Analysis Operations Centre, has said that a new report into the European drugs market reflects an increase in the use of cocaine which is “fuelling murderous feuds.”

Young criminals, in particular, earn large sums of money, gain access to firearms and develop an “Al Capone mindset”, which is not seen among criminals in the heroin or hash trade, he told RTÉ radio’s News at One.

The report by the EU Drugs Agency and Europol into the European drugs market found that violence and intimidation by drug gangs has severely affected communities in Ireland and had major impacts on individuals, families, communities and the functioning of local services and agencies.

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Irish organised crime gangs are structured along a three-tier hierarchy says the report.

At the top are the gang leaders, a tier of “serious players”, often formed around a “kinship” core which controls the other tiers.

Mr O’Sullivan said the production and sale of cocaine has “changed the dynamic of organised crime in Ireland.”

People who are selling cocaine are “getting rich quick, which is fuelling their criminality.”

Up until now, these people were not making much money, but now they are being empowered by their wealth and buying firearms.

The higher echelons of those involved in the drug trade are moving out of Ireland due to increased pressure from the gardaí and the Criminal Assets Bureau, he said.

Organisation at the higher levels of the drug trade is “slick” and they are “feeding into transnational organised crime group,” he warned.