‘Cocaine is back in a big way’ - garda tells public meeting

“There is heroin in Bailieboro, Ballyjamesduff, Kingscourt and it is most prevalent in Cavan Town and cocaine is back in a big way because middle class people are back using cocaine, like they did pre-recession.”
That was the stark statement by the head of the Cavan Monaghan Divisional Drugs Unit when he addressed a public meeting in the Bailie Hotel on Monday night.
Sergant Michael Kearney was outlining the scale of the problem faced by gardaí as more and more people have their drugs delivered by post and the strength of cannabis is five times stronger.
“It is five time more addictive and five times more hallucinogenic – it has been genetically modified. When young people start smoking cannabis, it is damaging their brain and that is leading to a lot more suicides,” outlined Sgt Kearney.
The meeting, organised by Bailieboro Community Alert Committee, was chaired by Deputy Niamh Smyth (FF). Also in attendance were Superintendent Gordan Englishby, Inspector Valerie McGahan, Garda Michaell Cox, Sergeant Mick Duffy, Crime Prevention Officer for the division and Cllr Paddy McDonald (SF).

Alarmingly, it was also revealed that some young people are taking Ketamine (horse tranquilliser) leaving them out cold for up to six hours.
Sgt Kearney estimated that up to 40% of the drugs coming into Ireland now are coming in through the postal service. “It is very hard for us as law enforcement to combat that,” he said.
Young people are also using social media platforms such as Snapchat to buy and sell drugs and there are less and less drug dealers standing on corners.
“The beauty of Snapchat for the dealer is, as soon as they send that message or picture and it is read, it disappears – there is no record of it,” explained Sgt Kearney, who heads up the drug unit based in Cootehill with five gardaí assigned to it.
He revealed that in relation to the drugs problems, two thirds of the unit’s work is concentrated in Cavan and one third in Monaghan with about two thirds of the drug addicts come from County Cavan.
The primary objective of the unit is to catch the drug dealers and there is also a focus on prevention.
“Once there is a demand for drugs, drugs will get in – we will stop some of it, but not all of it,” said Sgt Kearney who said that cannabis is still the most common drug used.
He warned parents too that the perception of drug dealers peddling their wares is outdated. “Think for a moment about who gave you your first pull of a cigarette – it will be the same person that gives the drug to your child.
“It will be an older sibling or somebody they are on the football team with or someone they hang around with in school,” he cautioned.
In this respect, he urged parents to keep a tight control on their medicine cabinets and communicate with their children, ensuring they can talk to you.
The sergeant further revealed that cocaine use goes across all socio economic classes. “It is professional people – doctors, guards, nurses, across every profession you have – people now have money in their pockets and they are using Cocaine,” he said.
Crack cocaine is also creeping in. It is much more addictive and gives a bigger high. “We are coming across crack cocaine pipes particularly around Cavan Town and particularly with Eastern European gangs,” revealed Sgt Kearney.
He recalled there being 16 heroin addicts in Kingscourt in the early 90s but said that the drug is now in every town with a particular problem in the Cavan Town area.
“The heroin problem is not terribly bad in Bailieboro at the moment – there is a lot more cannabis and cocaine,” he said.
The sergeant also expressed concern about the abuse of steroids in young men with side effects including aggressive behaviour, erectile dysfunction and problems going to the toilet.
“If you see something happening around your town, tell the gardaí,” advised Sgt Kearney.

* For full report, see next week’s Celt.