Gardaí make significant progress in tackling the drug trade

There have been significant drug detections in the county so far this year, a public meeting of the Roscommon Joint Policing Committee (JPC) was told last week.

Detective Inspector for Roscommon and Longford John Costello has an overall responsibility for investigating serious crime. “We are making significant inroads into our drugs detections. In 2023, we detected 16 simple possession offences, 29 last year, this is people being caught with drugs for their own use. We have 11 detections for the sale and supply of drugs. This is where someone is caught with a significant amount of drugs which they intend to sell on.

“In 2023, from January 1st to date, the quantity of drugs caught here, pending analysis, is in the region of €800,000. The figure for last year was approximately €280,000 for nine sale and supply detections,” he told the meeting.

“We had three detections for cultivation this year. This is where criminals occupy a house, and they start a ‘grow house’, growing cannabis. One plant is worth about €800 and going on that, those detections are worth half a million euro. Last year we detected one grow house.” He said that Gardaí were adopting a new strategy, anyone caught with a significant quantity of drugs for sale or supply was profiled.

“We then speak to the criminal assets bureau. In a recent search we got a Rolex watch, which was valued at €10,000. The person who had that watch was unemployed. They will have to answer for that with the criminal assets bureau.” Since the JPC’s last meeting in June, there were drugs detections in Roscommon on June 5th, June 8th, June 22nd and July 8th, “all significant quantities of drugs recovered,” Detective Inspector Costello said.

“Drugs are driving our crime. We have a sergeant and four Gardaí in our drugs unit, it’s a very active unit. We are asking people to call us. If they suspect that there are criminals dealing drugs or there’s a growhouse in the area. Call us, be it anonymous or otherwise.” “In 2023 we had 118, as opposed to 2022 when we had 125, so they’re down 6 percent,” he said, and he attributed this to the visibility of Gardaí.

Instances of the more serious offence, assault causing harm, were also down, with 22 committed this year and 25 committed last year. In terms of sexual assaults, there were ten so far this year, with 24 last year.

“Unfortunately instances of criminal damage have risen, it has gone up to 94 from 58 last year. It’s a significant rise, it’s 62 per cent of a rise,” he said.

In response to this, Gardaí analysed the location and potential causes of the crime, and then put Gardaí into those areas, the meeting heard. Burglaries also increased this year, although not by as much, with 69 crimes committed as opposed to 54 for the same period.

“The criminals now are out and about again after Covid. They are travelling the country, using the motorways to commit crimes. When they come to the countryside, they won’t commit just one crime, they’ll commit five or six and then head home,” he said. “We try to target them.” Thefts from shops had increased, up to 73 from 36 last year, while thefts from vehicles were up five to 15 this year, the meeting heard.

There was one robbery this year in Roscommon and a person has been arrested for that, the meeting was told. A file was being prepared for the DPP.

In terms of fraud and economic offences, there were in the region of 273 instances last year.

“We’re down now to 163. Fraud is the biggest thorn in our side at the moment,” he said, adding that people were being bombarded by scam texts on their phone.

“We have to address this as a society. People have to be very very careful. Do not give your bank account details to anyone and verify who you are speaking to.” JPC Chairman Tom Crosby thanked Detective Inspector Costello for his presentation, and he welcomed the detections on drug offences.