Busy week for Gorey Gardai in ongoing fight against illegal drugs
IN a joint operation between Gardaí and customs, Gardaí searched a premises in Courtown last week following smuggling concerns and together found a large quantity of cannabis with an estimated street value of €11,000.
Gardaí said that a man, known to gardaí, was arrested and questioned but was later released in relation to this.
During the same week, gardaí executed a search warrant at an apartment in Gorey and discovered a significant quantity of drugs.
‘We found a mixed collection of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis. It had an approximate street value of about €3,000, subject to analysis,’ said Sgt Stephen Ennis.
Early last Tuesday, a noticeable amount of drug paraphernalia in Gorey town was reported to Gardaí.
Sgt Stephen Ennis said that this year alone, approximately 90 people have been stopped and searched and found to be in possession of drugs.
Gorey Garda station receives regular calls, but there about eight to ten addicts that Gardaí interact with daily. ‘There is a core group that are there. They have their human rights and we have a charter to deal with them appropriately, to respect their human rights as well as everybody else.
‘We are stopping them and searching them and if we find them in possession, they are prosecuted before the courts.
‘But it’s no bigger a problem here than it is anywhere else, such as Enniscorthy or Wexford town. Unfortunately there are addicts everywhere, it’s our role to investigate it and do prosecutions.
‘It’s been a problem for years and the guards alone won’t solve it. We do want we can do in terms of educating people,’ said Sgt Ennis.
There has been success with the designated drugs unit within Gorey Garda Station, which is made up of two members of gardaí.
‘They have been having massive success and there’s pressure on them to get the numbers and they are doing good work.
‘So far this year we have had 25 cases of possession with intent to supply, and we have uncovered €100,000 worth of drugs in terms of approximate estimated street value,’ he said.
The unit monitor the area as a district, and do operations based on information reports from members of the public as well as other members of the guards.
‘Addicts have to get their drugs from somewhere, but they are doing operations on buses and on the bus stops. If we get information that there is drug dealing going on, we set up operations to counter that.
‘There was a man this year, part of the 25 cases I mentioned, who was looking to supply to school children,’ he said.
In a Christmas operation, which began last month, the amount of guards on the beat in the town has increased.
‘This puts pressure on the people who are engaging in anti-social behaviour.
‘We engage with those begging on Main street and deal with them the best way we can but unfortunately, they have to inject their drugs and there are a number of sites around the town that are strung with needles’.
Gardaí say that they are working closely with neighbourhood watch schemes, the Gorey Chamber of Commerce, Gorey Youth Needs and the South East Regional Drugs task force.
‘You’re not going to solve the problem of drugs in the town overnight. We talk about drug addicts or junkies, but they are humans too. They have needs and requirements and our society has to do its bit for them too,’ said Sgt Ennis.
When asked if specific injection or needle exchange service was needed in Gorey, Sgt Ennis said that the district is not that far gone. ‘It’s about keeping garda resources on the street to give people a feeling of safety and security,’ he said.
Gardaí say that if you see a needle on the street, ring them directly and we will notify representatives from Wexford County Council to clear the remains.
If you have concerns about the issue of drugs in the town, Sgt Stephen Ennis suggested reaching out to the Gardaí in confidence.