New figures show rise in gangland crime


Gangland crime and murder increased during the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2004.
The latest crime figures released by the Department of Justice show 26 people died violently since January - three more than this time last year.
The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, said he was concerned about the rate of violent death but added that it is encouraging that the number of deaths involving firearms has fallen significantly in recent times.


Bank and post office robberies, drugs seizures, and possession of firearms were also up but public order offences, cash-in-transit robberies and female rape and sexual assaults were down.
There were 216 incidents involving possession of firearms - six more than last year - but nine less instances where firearms were discharged.
Drug seizures were up 29% to 1,342, while bank and post office robberies were up 22% to 654.
Cash-in-transit robberies were down 39% from 36 to 22, and there were also reductions in sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and female rape.
Assaults causing harm were also down 8% but there were still 1,805 assaults reported over the past six months.
Mr McDowell pointed out that since the end of May, following the commencement of the gardaí's Operation Anvil, there has not been a gangland murder, while 420 people have been arrested and 83 guns have been seized.

Irelands white tiger? 20-fold increase in cocaine use

THERE was a 20-fold increase in the use of cocaine in Ireland between 2001 and 2003, according to official statistics for garda seizures of the drug.

As yet unpublished figures from the Health Research Board will show a systematic and substantial increase in the number of cocaine users in Ireland in the past two years, the Irish Examiner has learned.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Siobhan Barry said that, based on internationally accepted data, the amount of cocaine seized by the gardaí represented about 10% of what was being used.

In 2001, gardaí seized just 5kg of cocaine compared to 107kg in 2003 more than a 20-fold increase.

In 2002, 155 people with a primary cocaine problem attended for treatment.

This figure, along with the number of secondary cocaine users, is expected to have increased substantially in the past two years and only represents a fraction of cocaine users, the majority of whom do not seek help.

Dr Barry is one of two medical specialists who carried out research for an Oireachtas report on The Treatment of Cocaine Addiction.

The report of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, chaired by Fianna Fáil Deputy Cecilia Keaveney, has made a number of recommendations on the treatment of cocaine users.

"Cocaine is no respecter of health, whether in 'recreational' or other use," said Dr Barry.

The fact that many users consider their use recreational and are not coming into treatment services also needs to be taken into account in future planning, she said.

"There is also a need to improve the baseline assessment for cocaine users' physical health."

The report used data gathered from a number of sources including the Health Research Board and the gardaí.

"There has been a concern for some time about service provision as the number of people using cocaine increases," said Dr Barry.

She said public health issues involved in cocaine should be central to an education campaign.

In addition, she said there was a need to dispel some of the myths around cocaine such as the notion that it is relatively safe and relatively clean.

"The reality is far from that," said Dr Barry.