Drug hauls three times the target

The value of drugs seized in the State last year was more than three times higher than targets for the year set out in the National Drugs Strategy.

The Garda and Revenue's Custom and Excise service seized drugs with an estimated street value of €121 million in 2003. The figures have not been published before.

In the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008, the Government set targets for annual drug seizures for the Garda and Customs. It was hoped that by 2004 there would be a 25 per cent increase in the value of drugs over the €31 million seized in 2000. A long-term target of a 50 per cent increase by 2008 on the 2000 figures was also set.

In the targets it was hoped that some €39 million worth of drugs would be seized by 2004 and €46.5 million by 2008. However, the €121 million seized last year was more than three times the 2004 target and more that double that for 2008.

The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said he had been informed by the Garda that the number of gardaí assigned to combating the illicit drug trade was under review "with a view to making changes, as necessary, in the ongoing fight against drugs".

"The increase in drug seizures in recent years is indicative of an increase in demand for illicit drugs but also indicates that An Garda Síochána and the Customs and Excise service are achieving considerable success in the area of supply reduction," he said.

The Republic's legislative package for tackling organised crime was "one of the toughest in Europe". Mr McDowell said two key pieces of legislation implemented this year would strengthen the Garda's hand in dealing with the supply of drugs into the State.

In June the Criminal Justice (Joint Investigations Teams) Act 2004, was signed into law. This enables the authorities from two or more EU states to work together, cross-border, to investigate international criminality. The European Arrests Warrant Act 2003, which came into effect last January, will make it easier for gardaí to have suspects detained by foreign police and extradited to Ireland for trial.

The figures for drug seizures since 2000, released by the Department of Justice, reflect a very significant increase in the drug trade. In 2000 drugs with an estimated street value of €31 million were seized, €20 million by gardaí and €11 million by Customs. In 2001 this figure more than trebled, to €105 million; €45 million seized by the Garda and €60 million by Customs.

In 2002 the seizure was €83 million, with €49 million seized by gardaí and €34 million by Customs. Last year the figure was €121 million, €100 million of which was seized by the Garda and €21 million by Customs.

Gardaí and public health experts are most concerned by the increase in cocaine use in recent years. In 2002 some 31 kgs of the drug were discovered in 429 seizures. This more than trebled last year, to 107 kgs in 566 seizures. The National Advisory Committee on Drugs has warned that Ireland may be at the beginning of a cocaine epidemic. It believes the drug is now more readily available than ecstasy and that drug treatment facilities may become overloaded because of the numbers of cocaine users presenting for treatment.