Concerns over drug dealing spark calls to board up derelict property in Limerick town
A DERELICT property in Abbeyfeale needs to be boarded up due to drug dealing taking place inside, claims a local councillor.
Speaking at a Joint Policing Committee meeting of the Newcastle West Municipal District, Cllr Liam Galvin said: “A well known drug dealer was seen coming out of the property with students after him.”
Cllr Galvin said it is “going on in broad daylight in Abbeyfeale”.
“It was 3pm in the day. This derelict property needs to be boarded up,” said Cllr Galvin, who called on the council and gardai to take action.
Cllr Galvin also asked how many anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been issued in the town of Abbeyfeale.
Sergeant Noel Barry, one of the gardai in attendance at the meeting, said there was 13 in the Newcastle West Garda District in 2021 with three in Abbeyfeale. “An informal chat works a lot of the time. We have very good gardai. ASBOs fit in just above that,” said Sgt Barry.
The conversation then turned to a fertiliser heist which was previously highlighted in the Leader.
Detective Sergeant Mike Reidy then returned to the question about drugs. He said the dedicated drugs units in Newcastle West and Bruff districts are working together and there is a competition ongoing to have their own sergeant. Det Sgt Reidy said there are “certain individuals being targeted in ongoing operations”.
“Drugs are a scourge. There are significant inroads being made. A growhouse was discovered outside Abbeyfeale which led to another growhouse in another county and CAB seizures,” said Det Sgt Reidy, who listed out a number of seizures in recent times – €2,000 worth of cocaine in Abbeyfeale; significant growhouse in Newcastle West; cannabis valued at €5,000; €6,000 in cocaine.
Det Sgt Reidy said they were targeting the sale and supply of drugs as opposed to the people who use it.
“The person at the higher echelons doesn’t get their hands dirty. They have people doing that for them. We will continue to pick up information and act accordingly. It is an ongoing fight,” said Det Sgt Reidy.
In the past, he said people would have to travel to larger towns to purchase narcotics.
“Now they are available in every town and village in Ireland unfortunately,” said Det Sgt Reidy, who believes GAA clubs could have a part to play in educating young people about the consequences of taking drugs.
“People’s lives are being destroyed,” said Det Sgt Reidy. He also stressed that if they get a criminal conviction this would affect them travelling to America.