Commissioner: Gardaí have no idea of true amount of drugs imported here each week
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told the 2024 Cross Border Police Conference on Organised and Serious Crime in Cavan: "People are taking substances with no idea how it's being produced or to what strength and there are real dangers." Picture: Niall Carson/PA
The strength of cannabis, cocaine and other illegal drugs in circulation has dramatically increased to "lethal doses" in some cases, the Garda Commissioner has warned.
Drew Harris has admitted that the gardaí have no idea of the true amount of drugs that are being imported into this country each week, but said there are more illegal substances in circulation. Mr Harris said Ireland as a wealthy country is seen as a target for drug cartels.
"We are seen to these organised crime groups as a wealthy country, an affluent place, and that is shown even in terms of the cocaine use that there is in Ireland, cocaine use is proportionate to the prosperity of a nation and therefore we are a target. So that's one of the principal challenges."
Speaking at a cross-border police conference in Cavan, Mr Harris said: "I would say around drugs generally, they're becoming more prevalent and stronger as well. So cannabis in particular, in terms of the THC content, which is the actual live content of the cannabis is a good deal stronger than it was 20, 30 or 40 years ago."
Mr Harris said this is driving addictive behaviour, psychotic incidents and mental health problems.
He said recent testing at events including the Electric Picnic festival showed "really huge variations in the strength of drugs to the point of lethal doses".
The Commissioner admitted it is "nearly impossible to estimate" the quantity of drugs being shipped into the country, but referenced a number of recent high-profile seizures.
Earlier this month a shipment of crystal meth worth €32.8m was seized in Port of Cork.
The MV Matthew was seized in September carrying over 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, with a value of €157m but which may have a street value of some €500m.
"We know that the price of cocaine is on the increase in terms of its street value, it increased maybe over 25% in the last three to four months.
"That shows the value of the work happening on the island of Ireland," he said, adding that there have been "huge seizures" in the Caribbean and West Africa.
The Commissioner added: "The main dealers are focused on the full array of drugs, from cannabis right through to cocaine, down into heroin and now into synthetic opioids."
He said social media and WhatsApp are now being used to distribute and sell drugs.
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