37% drop in Cork's garda drug squad numbers compared to 14% nationwide

Blow comes as gardaí get over 500 reports of drug-related intimidation

At least 518 incidents of drug-related intimidation were reported to gardaí in 2023,

The country’s local Garda drug units have, on average, 14% less staff now than they did in 2010, with the Cork City unit decimated by 37% in that period, official figures show.

It comes as separate statistics, which are rarely publicised, reveal that there were more than 520 incidents of drug-related intimidation reported to gardaí in 2023.