Gardaí arrest four suspected street dealers in Dublin operation targeting e-scooter crime

Garda Headquarters said that, during a recent operation in Dublin's north inner city, gardaí seized seven e-scooters and made four arrests linked to alleged street dealing. Picture: An Garda Siochana

Gardaí have made four arrests linked to alleged street dealing involving people using e-scooters following community concerns in Dublin's city centre.

The operation follows comments by Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly last week that e-scooters were being used in "cities and towns" for local street dealing and drug-related intimidation.

He said this trend, combined with the scale and severity of the injuries children were suffering while using e-scooters, “tipped the balance” in favour of banning e-scooters completely.

In a statement, Garda Headquarters said that, during a recent operation in Dublin's north inner city, gardaí seized seven e-scooters and made four arrests linked to alleged street dealing.

“Following recent community concerns, the Community Policing and Response Teams at Bridewell Garda Station have been conducting targeted patrols focusing on the dangerous and anti-social use of e-vehicles,” the statement said.

Drugs and cash seized

Garda Headquarters said officers made a series of seizures and arrests, including the seizure of seven e-scooters under Section 109(a) of the Road Traffic Act for dangerous and anti-social use in public places. It said all seven vehicles will now be destroyed.

The statement added: “Our patrols also intercepted local drug activity, leading to several key arrests.”

These included:

• A male, aged 29, who was arrested following an alleged street deal. Cannabis with an estimated value of €1,400 and €430 in cash were seized;
• A female, aged 27, was arrested after being searched, with controlled tablets valued at €150 seized;
• A male, aged 35, was arrested on suspicion of drug driving. He was found in possession of cocaine valued at €250, false documents and €1,200 in cash, which were all seized;
• A male, aged 40, was arrested after being found in possession of 35 individual deals of crack cocaine, with an estimated value of €600.

Speaking at the Oireachtas Justice Committee last Tuesday, Commissioner Kelly said e-scooters were being used for drug dealing “across not just cities, but towns”, as well as for drug-related intimidation.