Gardai: Dealers Think They're Doing Communities a Favour
Some criminals dealing prescription drugs believe they’re doing their communities a service. That’s according to gardai who say the sale and supply of benzos is one of the biggest issues facing the Force at the moment.
Almost 30 thousand drugs like Xanax and valium have been seized so far this year in O’Connell Street and the north inner city. Peter O’Connor from the Community Policing Forum says it’s having a major negative impact on communities:
"One of the real concerns is the impact it's having on children because they're asking 'why are these people here, what are they getting, why are they getting it?' and it's particularly difficult for parents and guardians to explain why this is still occurring."
One of the reasons it’s happening, according to a senior garda, is because people often don’t view it as a serious crime. In fact Chief Spt Pat Leahy says some offenders actually think they’re helping their communities:
"They've taken on a mindset that they are actually providing a service to the community because they're dispensing prescription drugs. The other side of it that's causing us difficulty, is the fact that kids are watching this and don't see it as breaking the law."
The Committee is now going to try and meet with the Drugs Minister to ensure the problem of prescription drugs forms some part of the new drugs strategy for 2017.