The local Fine Gael TD, Emer Higgins, warmly welcomed new data from An Garda Siochána showing massive success in tackling drug dealing, through Operation Tara, while crime plummeted during the lockdown.
She said: “The lockdown has been tough for everyone. I am delighted that it was even tougher for drug dealers. “Despite the extra policing pressures placed on them during lockdown, the Gardai’s determination to tackle the scourge of drugs in our community did not waiver. “In Lucan, they recorded a massive 85% increase in searches under the Drugs Act (from 445 to 823) in the first half of this year, resulting in an increase of 15% in arrests for possession of drugs for sale or supply
Emer Higgins continued: “In Ronanstown, the Gardai increased the number of searches under the Drugs Act by a third (from 2,324 to 3,068) resulting in the number of arrests for possession of drugs for sale or supply more than doubling (from 43 to 103). “This work also saw 16 arrests for possession of an offensive weapon in Ronanstown and a further 10 such arrests in Lucan “The Gardai have had spectacular success in keep our communities safe by seizing drugs and weapons so far this year.
High profile seizures include: Cocaine to the value of €117,000 seized on the Outer Ring Road on the 18th May and Ecstasy to the value of €21,000 seized on Harelawn Green on 26th June
Emer Higgins concluded: “Crime plummeted throughout the lockdown. In Lucan, burglaries, robberies from establishments and theft of vehicles more than halved during the period. Burglaries fell from 128 to 40; Robbery from establishments fell from 3 to 1; theft of vehicle fell from 42 to 7. “In Ronanstown, robbery from establishments were eliminated (fell from 10 to 0), while burglaries fell by a third (from 83 to 55), ‘robbery from person’ almost halved (from 12 to 7), while theft of vehicles fell by over a quarter (from 44 to 32)
