Cork homes 'petrol-bombed' in suspected drug-related intimidation cases

Emboldened by links to Dublin counterparts, Cork gangs have 'become more brazen' as TD warns: 'It’s gone to a different level'

Garda figures show drug-related intimidation motives in 226 crimes in seven months. Picture: Mark Stedman

Homes in Cork are being petrol bombed in suspected drug-related intimidation cases, with many Cork gangs newly emboldened by links to Dublin gangs, a TD has warned.

Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, said that drug-related intimidation is a major, but often silent, problem for families across Cork and nationally.

“A lot of families live in fear. I know families who have had to get loans, go to the credit union," he said.

I know people who have had their homes attacked, cars and vans vandalised. People have had to leave their homes.

“A number of houses have been petrol bombed this year due to gangs and intimidation.

“And now a lot of the Cork gangs are tied to the Dublin gangs and they have become a lot more brazen. It’s gone to a different level.” 

Drug-related intimidation drove one family to leave their “beautiful” family home in Cork which they had spent years improving and where they had raised their family, he said. 

Debts often range from €5,000 to €15,000 but they can be more, Mr Gould said.

'A lot of families live in fear. I know families who have had to get loans, go to the credit union,' said TD Thomas Gould. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

“People feel they have to bail their kids out," he said. “They [drug dealers] let people build up debt knowing the family will pay it off. It’s intentional when they know the family has money.

“And debts don’t die when a person passes away. I've heard of dealers pursuing families for money the deceased person owed." 

Mr Gould appealed to people to contact gardaí about drug-related intimidation as the force has specialised units in place.

Detective Superintendent Sé McCormack of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said people can come forward to gardaí assured of full confidentiality, with a Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme now established in every Garda division.

Detective Superintendent Sé McCormack said hundreds of thousands of euros are being extorted from people across the country in drug-related intimidation. Picture: Moya Nolan

Hundreds of thousands of euros are being extorted from people across the country in drug-related intimidation, Det Supt McCormack said.

There were 226 reported crimes where the motive was believed to be drug-related intimidation in the first seven months of this year, according to Garda figures.

Crimes committed include assault, burglary, criminal damage, threats to kill or cause serious harm, and blackmail or extortion.

The majority of crimes occurred in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) followed by the Eastern region then the North-Western region, with the lowest number of incidents occurring in the Southern region.

The violence and misery caused by intimidation is fuelled by Ireland's drug use, he said.

“A lot of people may say ‘I just smoked a joint’ or ‘I just had a tablet or some cocaine’.

“But there's a little bit of profit on each transaction. And there is a direct link from individual personal use to wealth at cartel level.

“Whether that drug use is up in Montenotte in Cork or in Dublin 4 or it's in Sheriff St or in Knocknaheeny.

All the trouble and difficulties may arise in the more disadvantaged areas. But the fella or girl who's doing a few lines at a party in so-called upper-middle-class areas, they are contributing to the problem of drug-related intimidation and violence.

“I'd appeal to people to consider that," he said. "It’s against the law and there are consequences:  Legal consequences, health consequences, and social consequences."

Hidden issue

Drug-related intimidation is often a hidden issue because of the stigma associated with drug use, he said. But the impact on people's lives can be devastating.

“We've had people's windows put in. We've had people assaulted at their door. We've had people assaulted in their place of business.

They may not have been the drug user, but they might have been a family member or a close associate of the drug user who has run up a debt on a small scale or a grand scale.

“And it's also criminal damage from ‘I'm going to key your car’ to ‘I'm going to burn out your car, to break your windows, to burn your house’.

“If you can think of a nasty crime and a nasty way of delivering the nasty crime, then it has happened in relation to drug-related intimidation.” 

Drug debts can be genuine, or they can just be empty allegations, Det Supt McCormack said.

“We'd encourage people to be aware that they can contact the gardaí in confidentiality about drug-related intimidation if they're a victim of it."

Awareness of the problem is growing, Det Supt McCormack said.

The Drive project, an inter-agency response to drug-related intimidation and violence, has seen more than 1,000 people attend public and online engagement forums over the last 18 months.

For more information, go to Driveproject.ie