Heroin accounts for one in five drugs arrests

HEROIN now accounts for one in five drug arrests in the county, Kerry’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC) heard on Monday.

Kerry Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan told the committee members that to date this year 342 people have been arrested in Kerry for drug related offences.

Of these 280 were cases of possession of drugs for personal use while 62 of the arrests were for suspected drug dealing.

Chief Supt Cadogan said that approximately one in five of all drug cases this year involved heroin.

He added that in many of the drug cases the culprits were also found to be carrying weapons – a factor that the Chief Supt said was reflected in the large number of weapon possessions charges recorded this year.

Gardaí previously told the JPC’s Community Cohesion Sub Committee that while there is widespread recreational use of cannabis in the county the use and supply of heroin is the main priority for the gardaí when it comes to drug related crime in Kerry.

The gardaí said that heroin is a particular problem in Tralee where a large amount of “secondary crime” is being committed by addicts to support their drug habits.

Chief Supt Cadogan said while heroin remains an issue the gardaí having success in the field tackling the drug and its supply.