Pubdate: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 Source: Irish Times (Ireland) Contact: Dick Hogan PUBLICANS WARNED AGAINST DRUG DEALING Publicans who allow drugs to be dealt on their premises should be expelled from the Vintners' Federation of Ireland, Mr. John Mansworth, the newly-elected president of the organisation has said. Speaking in Tralee yesterday on the final day of the VFI's annual conference, Mr. Mansworth said no publican could condone anybody taking part in drugs activity on his or her premises, either directly or indirectly. However, as in many other walks of life, there were "rogue publicans", but the VFI was not the place for them and they would not be tolerated in the organisation, which represents 6,000 publicans outside Dublin. Mr. Mansworth said many publicans had attended seminars on drug abuse and were in close contact with the Garda authorities on the question. But in a busy public house it was not always possible to detect drug- dealing. "If a drug-dealer is standing on a street corner selling drugs then he is immediately recognisable. But when he comes into a busy pub, possibly one with several hundred people mingling together, it is very hard to root him out. Of their nature, pubs can be very busy places and a publican has many matters to contend with," he said. He said it was up to every member of the federation to be vigilant insofar as they could and to acquaint themselves with the necessary information concerning drugs and drug-dealing.