By Diarmaid Doherty
PARENTS across Donegal have had to remortgage their homes in order to help pay off drug debts that have been amassed by family members, a senior Garda has claimed.
Chief Superintendent Aidan Glackin has described the drugs problem as a “cancer on society” that is continuing to grow.
“There are families in distress, families who are suffering and families who are at their wits’ end,” he said.
“Anything we can do to assist that, we will.”
His comments came at Friday’s meeting of the Donegal County Joint Policing Committee during a debate on drug seizures in the county this year.
The total monetary value of the drugs seized is over €3.6m – a large amount of which relates to the discovery of packages of drugs which washed up on two Donegal beaches last July.
Friday’s meeting heard how a Donegal Divisional Drugs Unit is now in place. It consists of a Garda Sergeant and six Garda members, four of whom are based in the north of the county, and two in the south.
The establishment of the drugs unit was warmly welcomed by members of the JPC.
Cllr. Nicholas Crossan said those who use drugs for recreational purposes are actually helping the criminal world.
“This is the single biggest issue I think we have in this country,” he said.
“They are going to ruin the next generation of our children so whatever the new drugs unit can do to stop it is very much welcomed.”
The chairman of the JPC, Cllr Gerry McMonagle said some families are finding themselves under threat and intimidation from drug dealers because their children are not able to pay off drug debts.
He said the Gardaí and the JPC could consider organising an awareness campaign to let people know that there is support out there for those who might find themselves in such situations.
Chief Supt Glackin said the drugs problem was a cancer on society “and it continues to grow”.
“Drug-related intimidation is a factor in society,” he said.
“I have no doubt that there are families right across this county who are paying debts for their children. There is a certain omerta within the drugs business and there is intimidation around speaking about that. We are aware that people are involved in transportation, storage, money laundering, facilitating or whatever because they can’t pay off their debt.
“And some families have to remortgage their homes to do that.”
He agreed with Cllr McMonagle’s suggestion about an awareness campaign and pointed to the Garda’s national Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme which he said has been a big success.
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