Cannabis and cocaine 'the drugs of choice' in Kerry amid rise in intimidation of families

Last year drugs to the value of €600,514 were seized by the Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit — with cannabis accounting for 54% of this, followed by cocaine at 43%.

Cannabis and cocaine are now “the drugs of choice” in Kerry with cocaine use accounting for almost half of all seizures by the Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit, a meeting of the county’s Joint Policing Committee in Tralee has heard

Intimidation of users and their families because of drug debt is on the rise and is likely under-reported in Kerry, the meeting also heard.

Last year drugs to the value of €600,514 were seized by the Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit — with cannabis accounting for 54% of this, followed by cocaine at 43%, with the remaining seizures heroin, amphetamine, and other substances.

The growing use of cocaine means it is now "not far behind cannabis", Inspector Hugh Twomey of the Kerry Drugs Unit said. "That has been the trend a number of years," he told the meeting.

Driving under the influence of drugs is also on the rise, with more than one-third of all driving under the influence detections now drugs-related.

“This has been an emerging trend. We continue to see that,” the inspector said.

Seven driving under the influence of drugs detections were made over the May bank holiday weekend, with 50 such detections made so far this year — compared to 30 for the same period in 2023.

A new hand-held pocket device which has been introduced is “a game changer”, making drug driving detection easier, Inspector Gary O’Carroll said.

Sinn Féin justice spokesman Pa Daly asked if it was the case that some drug dealers were making up to €50,000 a week. He also asked for a breakdown on gender and age.

Insp Twomey said if seizures amounted to over €600,000 in one year in Kerry then this would indicate significant amounts of money were being earned from drugs.

Seizures

The meeting also heard of the success of the Kerry Drugs Unit so far this year with some €33.5m of drugs seized, including €32m of crystal meth in Cork port in February with the assistance of the Revenue Commissioners Customs.

Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit has enjoyed the highest value of seizures of any drugs unit in the country, the meeting heard.

“There has been massive success for us this year to date,’ Inspector Twomey said.

The unit had been targeting the north Kerry region, with €100,000 of cannabis seized in the Listowel area and €1.1m of cannabis seized in Abbeyfeale in February.

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The meeting heard some 20 cases of drug-debt-related intimidation had been reported in Kerry since 2022, and intimidation of the families was a growing phenomenon and most likely underreported.

Support was in place for those being intimidated because of drug debt and families were urged to report such intimidation in confidence.

Chairman of the JPC Councillor Niall Kelleher (FF) said intimidation "is probably two or three times" more than what is being reported to gardaí and he would encourage people to come forward.