Gardaí warn of increasing cocaine abuse in Kerry
GARDAÍ SEIZE €20K OF COCAINE IN OPERATION TARGETING MAJOR SUPPLY ROUTE
COCAINE abuse is growing throughout Kerry as boomtime habits return following the recession. But gardaí are fighting back, with another major success in Listowel last week with the seizure of €20,000-worth of the drug during the search of a car.
It is believed the operation has disrupted one of the main supply routes of the drug into Kerry. Two males – one a teenager – have been arrested in connection with the find, which is the latest of a number of significant cocaine seizures by gardaí in the region in recent weeks and months.
GARDAÍ in North Kerry have busted what they believe is one of the main supply routes of cocaine into the region following a search of a car last week in which €20,000-worth of the illegal drug was seized.
Detectives from Listowel and Ballybunion stopped the car in an intelligence-led operation in a public place in Listowel on Tuesday night of last week at around 9pm, searching the vehicle under warrant and discovering the quantity of the drug, described as ‘significant’. It is the latest in a number of successes against the drug trade in the jurisdiction. A Kerry man aged in his 30s was arrested at the scene, questioned at Listowel Garda Station and released on Wednesday morning without charge.
A 16-year-old youth from the area was arrested in a follow-up operation on Monday, questioned at Listowel Garda Station and also released without charge. A file is now being prepared for the DPP on the matter, a spokesperson for the gardaí said.
The seizure comes as gardaí warn of a renewed prevalence of the highly-addictive drug. “This was a major operation to target what we believe is one of the main supply routes of cocaine into Listowel and North Kerry,” a senior garda said. The rise is recorded clearly in garda figures for the year, as a result of increased drugs detection across Kerry.