Irish criminal gangs have again begun to invest heavily in cocaine as the economic recovery takes hold, the head of the Garda’s Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau has said.
Chief Supt Michael O’Sullivan said the crash severely affected the cocaine market as it is chiefly associated with party-goers but the drug was now making a comeback as people begin to find themselves with more disposable income.
“The cash wasn’t there for people to buy cocaine and to import it,” he told The Irish Times.
“We have seen that over the last number of years. The downturn affected criminals too.
Disposable income
“It’s people with a lot of disposable income who buy cocaine. People partied and bought houses and cars, and people who partied had the money to buy cocaine.
“Over the past few years, they haven’t had the same amount of money.
“Therefore, if the gardaí take your stuff or arrest your people, you mightn’t come back as quickly because the market isn’t as steady and there isn’t as much disposable cash around.”
Chief Supt O’Sullivan said the force was “constantly taking cash and seizing drugs” from gangs, which have found it more difficult to bounce back when their activities have been disrupted.
“It’s been taking them longer to regroup, and some of them never regroup,” he said.
“They’ve been trying to play catch-up but if we get a direct hit on them – take their money and their cocaine – they find it difficult. There wasn’t the same cash flow.”
Head shops
He said drug users migrated to head shops in recent years as similar products could be obtained at a fraction of the cost.
“The head shop products came along and people got it for a third or a quarter of the price,” he said.
“They bought the cheaper model from the head shops rather than spending the big bucks on cocaine. Most definitely figures were down.”
He said the economic recovery had led to “more cash” in society, and drug traffickers have moved to meet the increased demand.
“People’s disposable income is greater,” he said.
“They are certainly coming back now. There are more seizures. There is more cocaine around. People have more money to spend on cocaine.
“More criminals are investing in cocaine than there would have been two or three years ago.”
Chief Supt O’Sullivan was speaking at a press conference after Garda operations in the past two days in Cavan town, Portlaoise and Blanchardstown led to the arrests of 35 people in relation to the supply of controlled drugs.
Arrangements have been made to bring 54 people before the courts charged with more than 240 offences.
