Ahern says recent seizures show policy against drugs is working

FINE GAEL justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan criticised the Government's performance in curbing the distribution of illegal drugs.

He said a report had been issued this week stating that there were three times the amount of cocaine on the streets compared to five years ago.

"The Government is failing abysmally," said Mr Flanagan. "While the amount of drugs on our streets has increased to record proportions, our ports are manned by one X-ray scanner and surveillance equipment for our seas amounts to one boat."

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said drug seizures this year to date included more than €20 million worth of heroin and €7.2 million worth of cocaine.

He said because the State had a large coastline, most detection was intelligence-based and came through working with other law enforcement agencies.

"We have been successful in this respect, and last night's seizure shows this is the case."

Mr Ahern said Ireland had recently agreed to participate in the Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre (MAOC).

Its aim was to prevent narcotics coming from across the Atlantic and was geared towards the importation of cocaine into Europe. It was a new initiative, and Ireland would be represented at its base in Lisbon.

He said the number of seizures had increased, and this was an indication that the policy was working.

He added that a major attack by the Garda and the Customs Service had been made on the new aerodromes which had sprung up throughout the State.

Mr Flanagan asked Mr Ahern if he accepted a report, published in February, which stated that seven aerodromes, frequented by aircraft of international origin, had not been inspected or visited by anybody in the Customs Service.

"How can we expect to have a war on drugs, or make progress, if our coastline is virtually unguarded as we have only one scanner and one ship and our aerodromes are not inspected?"

Mr Ahern said law enforcement agencies, whether the Customs Service or the Garda, operated through good intelligence.

"To my knowledge the Customs Service has visited as many aerodromes as necessary, given the type of intelligence it received. I expect it will continue to do so."

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times