Garda Commissioner concerned about intimidation of families over drug debts

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has reassured people in Donegal that tackling the ongoing drugs problem here is a major priority with the gardaí.

He said he was concerned about the intimidation of families over so-called drug debts.

Speaking after Monday's Joint Policing Committee meeting in Lifford he said while health and education played a role in tackling the drugs situation, their job was enforcement.

"We are tackling it nationally, internationally and at the local level. There is a local divisional operation here known as Operation Tara. It is for them to follow through on information in terms of detections and that can involve searches and arrests.

"We are particularly looking to find the street dealers and all of that to break the distribution of drugs locally.

"The second part of that is drug intimidation. I'm very concerned about the number of incidents where families are being pursued for so-called drug debts.

"We would ask people to come forward, and report it to An Garda Siochana. If you have any information about the sale of drugs or the availability of drugs, please report it to An Garda Siochana and we will follow it up with a proper investigation."

Asked if it should be a higher priority in Donegal given the county had such a large coastline on one side and the Border on the other, Commissioner Harris said tackling drugs was a number one priority for them in terms of their annual plan, a priority in terms of the number of resources that they put into it and investigative efforts.

"It is a priority, enforcement takes us so far. There's certainly a piece about people looking after their own health and being educated as to the risks they are taking.

"There is no quality control on cocaine, there is no such thing as fair trade cocaine. You are buying something which has been produced through slave labour, through violence, intimidation and murder in other parts of the world which then happens here as well. If you have any ethical concerns, you would not be buying drugs."