Dublin: 30 People Arrested In Garda Drug Raids Across The North-Inner- City: *UPDATED

Gardaí from Store Street (pictured) Bridewell and Mountjoy Garda Stations were involved

Thirty people have been arrested in a major garda operation targeting the sale and supply of heroin, cocaine and other controlled drugs in Dublin city.

The operation, codenamed Tempest, follows a six-month covert operation aimed at identifying people involved in the sale and supply of the drugs.
*Local residents have scored a victory against drug dealers after information they provided to gardaí led to a major operation resulting in the overall arrest of 45 people.

It is the first large-scale investigation stemming from a new community policing initiative running in Dublin’s north inner city. The programme is set to be replicated across the capital and possibly the country.

The small areas’ policing programme has so far involved face-to-face interviews with 8,000 residents by community gardaí.

Information provided by local people, in addition to concerns from their political representatives, were taken and analysed by gardaí.

The operation, code-named Tempest, involved a six-month covert investigation aimed at identifying people involved in the sale of heroin, cocaine, and other illegal drugs.

Gardaí from three local stations — Store Street, Bridewell, and Mountjoy — worked closely with the Garda National Drugs Unit.

The GNDU Test Purchase Unit assisted local gardaí in targeting street dealers, involving the purchase of drugs from them by undercover officers.

“This operation is being led out by the community policing gardaí attached to the North Central Division and is a direct response to community concerns identified during the door-to-door engagement by the community gardaí since January of this year,” said Chief Supt Pat Leahy, the divisional officer and brainchild of the community policing initiative.

“At this point in the operation, 46 searches have been conducted and 30 persons have been arrested.”

Gardaí expect the operation will result in almost 100 charges connected with the sale of drugs against 45 people. Chief Supt Leahy said the accused will be brought before the district court tomorrow.

More than 100 gardaí took part in yesterday’s operation which involved the assistance of the elite Emergency Response Unit, the Garda Air Support Unit, the Garda Dog Unit as well as the GNDU.

Chief Supt Leahy said the aim of such lengthy operations was to provide a “long-term outcome” to problems. He said that the assistant commissioner for Dublin, John Twomey, has signalled “ready to go” with expanding the community policing system across the city.

The chief superintendent said any decision to roll it out nationally was one for acting commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan but, on a personal basis, he could see no reason why not.

Yesterday’s arrests are in addition to 55 arrests conducted under Operation Spire in the north inner city.

Gardaí said it was prompted by feedback from residents who engaged with community gardaí implementing the small areas community policy initiative in the north inner city.

The operation is expected to result in almost 100 charges connected with drugs sale and supply offences involving 45 individuals in the area.

Gardaí from the Bridewell, Mountjoy and Store Street Garda stations worked closely with members of the Garda National Drugs Unit with a view to gathering evidence against drug suppliers in the local communities.

Searches were conducted across the north inner city over recent days and suspects have been arrested and charged. 

They are to appear in court on Thursday morning.

Operation Tempest is ongoing, with more than 100 gardaí involved, including officers from the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Emergency Response Unit, the Garda Air Support Unit and the Garda Dog Unit.

Links to - HELPLINES:
www.drugfreeworld.org & www.drugs.ie & www.citywide.ie & www.drugscope.org.uk &
www.spunout.ie & www.teenline.ie 

Chief Superintendent Patrick Leahy said: "This Operation is being led out by the Community Policing Gardaí attached to the North Central Division and is a direct response to community concerns identified during the door-to-door engagement by the Community Gardaí since January of this year.

"To date more the 8,000 residents of the north inner city have been interviewed by Community Gardai in an effort to provide a more community focused customer centred approach to policing in the area."