Galway's top cop likens growth in heroin use to 1980s Dublin
Galway's top Garda has compared the rise in heroin use in the city to the stronghold which the drug took in Dublin in the 1980s.
Garda Chief Superintendent Tom Curley, in his latest crime report, revealed that there were a total of 12 incidents of drugs for sale or supply detected in Galway City and County between January and March. That was 50% or six more that the corresponding period last year.
The figures do not include the several high profile drugs busts by Galway Gardaí in the past fortnight. Meanwhile, the number ofdetections of simple possession are also up by 22% to 28 incidents.
Chief Supt Curley said many of the detections related to raiding of cannabis grow houses in rural areas.
He said the up-skilling of Gardaí on the beat in drugs detection has helped to boost Galway Gardaí’s successes in detecting drugs for sale or supply.
He once again warned about a worrying rise in the use and detection of heroin in the city.
Chief Supt Curley noted there was more than €25,000 worth of heroin seized in Galway in the first three months of this year. He likened the problem to that of Dublin in the 1980s when heroin took hold. An increase in heroin resulted in increased crime and there was a need for a multi-agency approach to the problem, he said.
The breakdown of drugs seized in Galway between January and the end of March was: Cocaine (€5,690), ecstasy (€49,400), cannabis (€163,155) and heroin (€25,685). There was no mephedrone seized.