Pubdate: Fri, 29 Mar 2002
Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2002
Contact:  http://www.examiner.ie/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/144
Author: Cormac O'Keeffe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)

GARDAI DECLARE WAR ON LOCAL DRUGS DEALERS

GARDAI and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) are to launch a major crackdown 
on local drug dealers across the country.

In an expansion of Operation Cleanstreet, CAB will target the assets of 
known drug dealers. Local Garda drug units will also be given additional 
resources.

Several hundred street suppliers have been brought before the courts, 
primarily in Dublin, under Operation Cleanstreet since its inception over 
six years ago.

As part of the undercover operation, detectives buy drugs from dealers and 
later arrest them. Its success has prompted Justice Minister John 
O'Donoghue to widen the scope of the operation.

"The country is ripe for an extension of Operation Cleanstreet and it's 
badly needed. It's based in Dublin, although we have done ad hoc 
arrangements around the country, one weekend here, one weekend there.

"Under the plan, the regions will have their own undercover unit, a group 
of ten people, who will be able to target dealers regularly. There are a 
lot of dealers too big for local units to handle. The local units nominate 
these people and we'll take them on," said a Garda National Drug Unit source.

Gardai have drawn up profiles of known dealers, identified their assets and 
forwarded the information to CAB. Officers from CAB have also met with 
gardai to outline the plan.

"We meet local Det Sergeants in each region and explain to them what CAB 
can do and what we need in respect of taking action.

"This is in order that new people on the block can be identified. If they 
have huge assets we seize it under proceeds of crime or we may do a tax 
assessment. The local units don't have the expertise for that," said Det 
Chief Supt Felix McKenna.

CAB have recently held meetings in different parts of the country, 
including Kilkenny, Cork, Sligo and Donegal.

The move by the Criminal Assets Bureau to widen its scope beyond national 
dealers to local suppliers is also been widely welcomed. "We would welcome 
any such move. Anything that involves increasing the strength of our unit 
is good news. Lack of manpower is our biggest problem," said Det Sgt Gerry 
Roche of the Galway Drugs Unit.
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MAP posted-by: Jackl