Galway coastline a haven for heroin smugglers

Date Published: 14-Oct-2010

By Darragh McDonagh

The County Galway coastline is being used by drug smugglers to import heroin for sale in Ireland, according to the Chief Superintendent of the Galway Garda Division.

Chief Superintendent Dónal Ó Cualáin told a meeting of the County Galway Joint Policing Committee that there was “no doubt” that the Connemara coast was being used by criminal gangs to smuggle drugs into the country.

He also said that a number of small groups of heroin addicts had moved to Ballinasloe from Dublin, and warned that there could be social and criminal implications for the area as a result of the influx.

Heroin with a street value of almost €140,000 has been seized in Galway City and County since the beginning of the year and the number of recorded incidents of possession for sale or supply has risen dramatically by 50% since 2009.

Chief Supt Ó Cualáin said there was ample evidence that the plethora of inlets and bays along the rugged Connemara coast are being used by drug smugglers to import heroin destined for the Irish market.

“There is plenty of evidence to suggest that our coast is being used for this purpose and there have been instances of people who were not used to the Irish sea finding themselves on the rocks,” he said.

For more on this story see the Galway City Tribune.