Drug Seizures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2010

Thursday, 13 May 2010

Questions (49, 50, 51, 52)

Billy Timmins

Question:

42 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of drugs seizures that have been made to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19445/10]

Michael Noonan

Question:

49 Deputy Michael Noonan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the quantity and values of seizures of heroin, cannabis, and other drugs within the State to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19437/10]

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

58 Deputy Jan O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the quantities and values of seizures of heroin, cocaine, cannabis and other drugs within the State during 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the proportion of the overall flow of drugs into the country that is represented by these seizures; the new initiatives that he is planning to control the flow of illegal drugs into the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19614/10]

Dan Neville

Question:

90 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the quantity and values of seizures of heroin, cocaine, cannabis and other drugs within the State in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19436/10]

Written answers

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Deputy Dermot Ahern)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 49, 58 and 90 together.

I am including with my reply a tabular statement giving the latest available information in relation to drug seizures for 2007, 2008 and 2009 and to date in 2010.

Due to the covert nature of the activity, it is obviously not possible to give a reliable estimate of the proportion of drugs coming into the country that these figures represent. Through ongoing specific initiatives and intelligence-led operations An Garda Síochána continues to seize substantial quantities of illegal drugs destined for the streets in this jurisdiction and disrupting those criminals involved in the importation, distribution, sale and supply of illegal drugs in Ireland.

Drugs and organised crime are being prioritised by An Garda Síochána as a core focus for 2010, through the Commissioner's annual Policing Plan, which reflects Government strategies contained in the National Drugs Strategy.

Drugs units are in place in every Garda division and work in partnership with the Garda National Drugs Unit in tackling and targeting drug-related crime. Divisional and District Policing Plans also reflect the focus of the national Policing Plan in terms of drugs enforcement.

As part of a co-ordinated approach, An Garda Síochána makes full use of the international Garda Liaison Network, District and Divisional Drug Units, the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Organised Crime Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau, as well as other specialist units and uniformed and plain-clothes personnel nationwide, in targeting drug supply reduction. An Garda Síochána also has in place a number of strategic partnerships at national and international level to address drug trafficking.

However, it is clear that we cannot tackle the problem of drug misuse through law enforcement measures alone. As set out in the Government's new interim National Drugs Strategy for the period 2009 to 2016, it is vital to address the problem in a co-ordinated way across the pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research.

In this context, I can assure the House that my Department, and all the agencies under its aegis, remain fully committed to this approach and to the implementation of the Strategy.

The Garda authorities advise that the following tables show the quantities of drugs seized in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 on the basis of cases reported to the Forensic Science Laboratory (valid as at 7 May 2010). Statistics provided for 2009 and 2010 are operational, provisional and liable to change.

2010*

Drug Type	Quantity	Estimated Street Value*
		€
Cannabis	254,745.134 grams	3,056,941.60
Cannabis Resin	203,885.181 grams	1,223,311.08
Cannabis Plants	596 plants**	238,400
Heroin	5,333.213 grams	799,981.95
Cocaine	16,230.653 grams	1,136,145.71
Ecstasy	Nil	Nil
Amphetamine	10,325.017 grams, 25 tablets	155,000
BZP	240,694 tabs, 22.199 grams, 357 capsules	1,205,366
Total Value		7,815,056.34

*Valid to 7th May 2010 [Statistics provided for 2010 are operational, provisional and liable to change].

2009:

Drug Type	Quantity	Estimated Street Value*
		€
Cannabis	572,333 gms	6,867,996
Cannabis Resin	1,538,226 gms	9,229,356
Heroin	78,668 gms	11,800,200
Cocaine	118,259 gms	8,278,130
Ecstasy	18,711 tabs & 3,288.496 gms	257,979
Amphetamine	36,508.358 gms & 6 tablets	547,625
BZP	4,371 gms; 309,236.5 tablets; 2,360 capsules	1,776,532
Total Value		38,787,818

[Statistics provided for 2009 are operational, provisional and liable to change].

2008:

Drug Type	Quantity	Estimated Street Value
		€
Cannabis	1,018,594 gms	2,037,188
Cannabis Resin	5,371,426 gms	37,599,982
Heroin	212,619 gms	42,523,800
Cocaine	1,691,387 gms	118,397,090
Ecstasy	119,413 tablets & 1,199.5 gms	1,254,080
Amphetamine	11,794.7 gms, 1698 tablets	202,391
Total Value		202,014,531

2007:

Drug Type	Quantity	Estimated Street Value
		€
Cannabis	779,310.871 gms	1,558,622
Cannabis Resin	1,279,759.1 gms	8,957,883
Heroin	148,520 gms	29,704,000
Cocaine	1,769,027 gms	123,831,890
Ecstasy	285,017 tablets, 17,375.362 gms	3,718,920
Amphetamine	58,223 gms, 10,471 tablets	1,030,410
Total Value		168,739,218

Question No. 43 answered with Question No. 28.