Reports of drug-related intimidation up by over 30% in the past five years, say gardaí

People who come forward do not have to make a formal complaint before gardaí act on their information.

Reports of drug-related intimidation have increased by more than 30% in the past five years, according to gardaí.

Latest figures released to the Irish Examiner also show the number of arson attacks have surged, with threats to kill or cause serious harm up just over 12%.

Senior drugs squad officers say 96% of victims do not make formal complaints.

Detective superintendent with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, Shane McCormack said: “We would like more people to come in and let us know what happened, then it's recorded.

“The more information we have on the picture facing society and individuals, then the more we can look at additional funding, additional resources to tackle the problem.”

According to statistics for 2021 to 2025, the main incident types of drug-related intimidation (DRI) are criminal damage (not by fire), blackmail or extortion, threats to kill or cause serious harm, assault causing harm, demanding payment of debt causing alarm, and criminal damage by fire.

• There were 474 reported cases in 2021, with 65 of those being threats to kill or cause serious harm, and 18 of them being arson attacks;
• By 2025, the number of DRI reports involving arson had jumped to 51, and violent threats had risen to 71, down from 84 the year before;
• Between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2025, there were 2,972 reported DRI incident reports;
• As of March this year, there had been 178 incidents, including 23 threats to kill or cause serious harm and 62 cases of criminal damage, not involving fire;
• In terms of proceedings initiated against those responsible for intimidating people, they stood at 136 in 2021, rising to 367 in 2025;
• In the first three months of this year alone, 131 proceedings were initiated;
• The total of 1,456 proceedings involved a total of 636 “unique suspects”.

Det Supt McCormack said: “If anybody has an issue with drug-related intimidation, we're not going to come knocking on the door in full uniform with a patrol car with lights and sirens.

“We will meet you where you want, talk to you confidentially, and we will give you advice on how to handle the situation you find yourself in.

“We give you security advice and point you at the support services available. We will hear you out."

He added that people who come forward do not have to make a formal complaint before gardaí act on their information.

"We want the intelligence on the people behind the intimidation," he said.

A link to the list of inspectors nominated to handle incidents of drugs related intimidation can be found on the garda.ie website under its information on the force’s Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme.

It is operated as part of the Drug Related Intimidation & Violence Engagement project, of which Det Supt McCormack is an oversight committee member.

It also involves organisations such as the HSE, the Department of Health, and the Probation Service.

41924557

You can tell us here