Drugs possession detections rose by 30% in county Tipperary in first four months of this year

The fall in some criminal activity caused by the Covid-19 lockdown gave Tipperary gardaí the resources to ramp up drug crime investigations resulting in a 30% rise in drugs possession detections in the first four months of this year.
This major hike in drugs possession incidents was made possible by a massive 52% increase in garda searches of people and properties within the county between January and May 1, according to crime figures for the county released at Tipperary County Council’s Joint Policing Committee this month.
Tipperary Garda Division Chief Superintendent, Derek Smart, outlined to the meeting that were were 52 possession of drugs for sale or supply incidents across the division over that four months compared to 40 during the same period last year. There were 223 possession of drugs for personal use incidents compared to 172 over the same period last year. This represented a 30% increase for both types of drugs possession.
The lion’s share of drugs possession incidents were detected in the Clonmel Garda District, which also includes Carrick-on-Suir and Fethard. Clonmel Garda District recorded 115 drugs possession for personal use incidents, which represents just over 50% of the county total. The 18 possession of drugs for sale or supply incidents in this district accounted for 35% of the all these crimes in the county. Chief Supt Smart highlighted a recent operation of drugs searches conducted by gardaí with assistance from the Defence Forces in Clonmel on April 29.
It resulted in the seizure of €19,400 worth of suspected drugs, along with a number of weapons and led to the arrest of four people, two of whom were subsequently charged.
He said the Defence Forces personnel were of great assistance in this operation and he indicated the gardaí will continue to work with them in other operations in Tipperary over the next 12 months.
In Cahir Garda District, meanwhile, there were 20 drugs possession for personal use incidents and ten drugs possession for sale or supply incidents. And in Tipperary Town, there were 13 drugs possession for personal use incidents and seven possession of drugs for sale or supply incidents. Chief Supt Smart said gardaí have luckily been able to focus more on tackling drug crime during the Covid-19 pandemic and detections were up in Tipperary and nationally. He said the market for the sale and supply of drugs was being driven by people who were law abiding from Monday to Friday and at weekends “let their hair down” by consuming drugs.