Drug-driving outstrips drink-driving in Cork for first time

Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan said he is not surprised by the level of drug-driving positive tests and that he expects it may not be too long before there are two-thirds arrested for that offence compared to one-third drink drivers. File photo

The number of people tested positive for drug-driving has outstripped drink-driving for the first time in Co. Cork, according to senior gardaí.

There has also been a noticeable increase in the amount of people caught with illegal drugs - either for sale or supply or personal use - during Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

The number of people tested positive by gardaí for being intoxicated behind the wheel - which includes drink and drugs - across their three divisions in Co. Cork in the first four months of this year was 193.

Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan said there were 99 detected driving under the influence of drugs, compared to 95 for alcohol.

He told the Irish Examiner that he is not surprised by the level of drug-driving positive tests and that he expects it may not be too long before there are two-thirds arrested for that offence compared to one-third drink drivers.

“Legislation for drug-driving was introduced in the last two years and we are testing for it out there. 

"Detections are increasing and it doesn't come as any surprise that drug-driving is increasing,” the senior garda said.

Meanwhile, detections for the sale or supply of drugs and those caught with what is deemed as for personal use are also up in the first four months of this year, compared to the comparable period in 2021.

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In the Cork City Garda Division, the number of people caught with quantities deemed for sale and supply in the first quarter of 2021 was 137, compared to 79 last year. 

Those caught in the 'personal use' category was 535, compared to the 2020 figure of 286.

In the Cork North Garda Division, the number caught for sale or supply increased by four to 46 and those detected under the personal use category rose from 152 to 225.

Detections for the sale or supply of drugs and those caught with what is deemed as for personal use are also up

In the Cork West Garda Division, it went up two to 32 for sale or supply and from 55 to 97 for personal use.

Chief Supt Cadogan, who is in charge of the Cork West Garda Division, said that a number of offenders were detected with drugs at Covid-19 checkpoints mounted by the gardaí in recent months.

Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin, who is in charge of policing the Cork City Garda Division, said that he has dedicated officers at divisional and district level who are constantly mounting “intelligence-led operations”.

In addition, he has a very active policing unit within the city centre which is targeting dealers there, he said.

Chief Supt McPolin said in addition to garda road checkpoints, which could be used to detect the transportation of drugs, they were also focusing on supply chains into the region via trains and buses.

That avenue of transport was being used by some dealers who had decided to use to avoid Covid-19 checkpoints on some of the main roads in the region.

The senior garda said that Covid-19 or not there were still users out there who sought supplies of drugs and there were dealers who wanted to make money by providing them.

While detections for the use of drugs have increased, gardaí have encountered, in the main, a fall-off in most other types of criminality in the region.

Burglaries, thefts from shops and cars, plus assaults, are all noticeably down in the last quarter compared to the same period in 2020.