Garda report shows doubling in number of drug dealers caught

Figures show the number of people caught for selling or supplying drugs has more than doubled since 2018, from just over 2,000 offences to nearly 5,000 in 2020. File photo

Official figures confirm a booming drugs trade, with a sharp rise last year in the number of dealers caught and cocaine seized.

The Garda Annual Report for 2020 shows that the amount of cash seized by the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) trebled, from €2.5m in 2019 to almost €7.9m in 2020.

Documenting the wide range of policing activity, the report also details:

• 1,100 incidents involving breaches of Covid-19 laws between April and December 2020, 519 resulting in court proceedings to date;
• 122 use of spit guards (with 85 court proceedings) and 248 spitting assaults on gardaí (142 proceedings);
• 777 firearms or suspected firearms received by the Garda Ballistics Section (up 10% on 2019), along with 14,900 rounds of ammunition and almost 800 discharged cartridge cases and bullets; 
• 117 planned searches by Armed Support Units and 80 firearms operations by the Emergency Response Unit, 36 of them “high-risk” searches;
• 93 ‘barricade-type’ incidents involving the National Negotiation Unit;
• 222,599 ‘lifesaver’ operations - speeding, seat belts, mobile phone use and drinking driving - some 20% more than 2019, despite the reduction in traffic caused by Covid-19 restrictions 

The report said that the DOCB seized 23 firearms in 2020 and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition and performed two 'threat to life' operations, bringing to 75 the number of assassinations thwarted since 2016.

Figures show the number of people caught for selling or supplying drugs has more than doubled since 2018, from just over 2,000 offences to nearly 5,000 in 2020. This includes a 30% increase last year over 2019.

While the quantity of drugs seized typically fluctuates every year, hauls of cocaine have consistently risen in the last four years – from around 52kgs in 2017, to 91kgs in 2018 and to nearly 105kgs in 2019.

This rose to almost 138kgs in 2020. Figures published recently in the Irish Examiner show this year’s tally is already around 200kgs.

Heroin seizures have fluctuated, from 38kgs in 2016, to 18kgs in 2017, to 39kgs in 2018, to 30.5kgs in 2019 and up to 41.4kgs in 2020.

DOCB was involved in a Joint Investigation Team with the PSNI and Lithuanian police in August 2020, resulting in the arrest of nine suspected of a major Lithuanian organised crime gang.

The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau conducted numerous operations against crime groups, including a Romanian network involved in credit cards scams, resulting in the arrest of 71 suspects.

The Garda Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation Unit conducted 68 searches in 2020 and recovered 97 stolen items. The Garda Dog Unit identified more than €1.5m of drugs and cash.

The Special Detective Unit conducted security screening on 164 refugees availing of the Government’s Refugee Resettlement Programme.

The report shows a dramatic rise (from 24 to 42) in the number of new suspensions of gardaí, bringing the total number at the end of 2020 to 67.