Pubdate: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 Source: Irish Independent (Ireland) Copyright: Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd Contact: http://www.independent.ie/ GUN LAW The idea that some self-appointed ``enforcer'' in the underworld can order two brutal murders is a chilling reminder of the evil that prevails in the drugs trade. The deaths of two young men one said to be 20, the other only 19 - over an apparent failure to meet a drugs debt, marks another sinister low in the sordid history of gangland slayings. The fact that the killings were classed as ``drugs related'' by gardai will in no way detract from the revulsion at this outrage. Some years back the country's crime lords sought to carve each other up in a series of high profile murders in what was really a turf war. Now it seems some of these so called ``godfathers'' are cracking down on their own members when they fail to make a payment or delivery. We had hoped that we had seen the end of ``summary justice'' when the IRA declared their ceasefire. The fact that the same cold blooded tactics have been adopted in gangland is alarming. This time, the two young victims may not be headline grabbers. Both men were probably only minor players in the drugs hierarchy. Such a waste of young life adds to the sickening sense of pointlessness at this crime. One of the many worrying features of these deaths was the brazen arrogance of the crime boss who has obviously placed himself high above the law. This illusion must be shattered. The worry is that in the twisted law of the gang boss, the deaths will probably only add to the killer's prestige. The gardai must spare no effort in seeing that these barbaric executions are stopped. Every resource must be put into cracking down on the narcotics profiteers. The forces of law and order have made many notable strikes against the drug lords but this latest outrage is an affront to those efforts. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake