Controlled drug offences on the increase in Louth

There was an increase in the number of Controlled Drug Offences recorded in the Louth Garda Division in the third quarter of 2023 (Q3), according to figures released this week by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

124 incidents of Controlled Drug Offences were recorded in Louth in Q3 according to the CSO's release, Recorded Crime Q3 2023, an increase of 19 on Q2 of this year. It is down slightly however, on the 130 offences recorded in Q3 of last year.

The most common offence recorded in Louth was Possession of Drugs for Personal Use, with 85 out of the 124 Controlled Drug Offences recorded in Louth in Q3 being Possession of Drugs for Personal Use. 

This was followed by Possession of Drugs for Sale or Supply, with 36 offences recorded, which is up from 20 in Q2 of this year. It is also up on the 31 recorded in Q3 of last year.

There was one incident of Importation of Drugs recorded by in the Louth Garda Division in Q3, and a further two offences categorised as  Other Drug Offences.

Nationally, according to the CSO, Controlled Drugs offences remained virtually unchanged at 17,449 incidents in the year to Q3 2023.