Families in Donegal in fear over drug debt threats

As a new drugs unit in Donegal gets to work, it has been claimed that some people in the county are living in fear of drug dealers due to debts owed by members of their families.

In recent weeks a new dedicated drugs unit has been established in the Donegal Garda Division.

One sergeant and six gardai have been assigned to the unit so far. Four of the gardai are in the north of the county and two in the south. The seven members are working as a Divisional unit.

Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken told a meeting of the Donegal Joint Policing Committee (JPC) on Friday that the drugs issue is a ‘cancer in society and it continues to grow’.

Councillor Gerry McMonagle, the Donegal JPC Chair, said there are families in Donegal ‘under threat and intimidation’ from drug dealers.

“This is due to young members of the family having drug debts,” Councillor McMonagle said. “I’m starting to hear more and more on this on the ground.

“A lot of people are frightened to come and speak about it. Maybe we need an awareness campaign to show families that there are supports available. They can come and talk to the gardai confidentially.”

In July, cocaine weighing a total of around 60kg and valued in excess of €4 million was found washed up on two Donegal beaches in large parcels.

Councillor Michael McBride implored the gardai to ‘keep the pressure on people who are supplying drugs to people in Donegal’.

Chief Superintendent Glacken said he had ‘no doubt’ that families in the Donegal Garda Division are paying off drug debts for their children.

He said: “There is a certain omertà within the drugs business around intimidation and speaking about that. We are aware that there are people involved in the storage, transportation and money laundering facilitation as they cannot pay off a debt.

"There is a certain casual social acceptable of drugs. We all know what drives drug barons and organised crime: It is driven by greed, fuelled by arrogance and they are reckless as to the impact on society." 

Chief Superintendent Glacken, who also oversees the Sligo-Leitrim Division, said An Garda Síochána has a national drug intimidation programme and urged anyone with information to come forward, noting that the force has a Confidential Line at 1800 666111.

He added: “There are families in distress, families who are suffering in silence.”