People 'coming to Limerick from all over' to buy deadly crack cocaine

PEOPLE are coming to Limerick from right across Ireland to buy deadly crack cocaine, a TD has claimed.

Maurice Quinlivan made the comments after it emerged gardai in the city are hoping to launch a fresh drive to tackle the sale and supply of both crack cocaine and heroin.

“There is still ongoing crack dealing in the city,” said the Sinn Fein deputy.

He said two weeks ago people travelled especially to Limerick to acquire the drug.

“People were coming from all over the country. You could see that, you heard the reports from the bus station, people getting off buses and trains coming here, mainly because it’s cheaper to buy crack here than anywhere else,” Mr Quinlivan said.

Open drug dealing continues to be a problem in the city, he added, saying: “Unfortunately we have visible drug taking very near a creche - there are discarded needles and paraphernalia. It’s simply not good enough.”

He raised the issue with senior gardai in the Limerick division at the Joint Policing Committee meeting.

He asked what steps are being taken to combat the sale and supply of drugs, particularly in the King’s Island area of the city.

In a written reply from chief superintendent Derek Smart, he was told the gardai were hoping to relaunch Operation Feabhsaigh.

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Initiated in September 2023, its priorities included tackling the sale and supply of drugs, open use of substances, chronic anti-social behaviour and aggressive begging and crime in St Mary’s Park.

He confirmed an application is being prepared to re-initiate the operation.

“It’s aim again is to confront and challenge the issue of drugs and anti-social behaviour which worked very successfully in the past,” Limerick’s most high-ranked garda stated.

Mr Quinlivan welcomed this, and said there is a feeling in the community that the area feels left behind in the fight against drugs.