Garda fight against drug gangs in Limerick highlighted in new TV series

A DOCUMENTARY series is set to shine a light on policing in Limerick, with garda operations targeting organised drug crime in the city featuring prominently in the opening episode.

Filmed over six months, and airing tonight at 9.35pm on RTÉ One, On the Beat goes behind the front desks, inside the control centres, and on the beat with Gardaí in Limerick, Monaghan, and Waterford to give an insight into policing across urban and rural Ireland. This docuseries gives unprecedented access to the work of An Garda Síochána across Ireland. 

On tonight's episode of the new series, Limerick's Drugs Unit carry out operations across the city to thwart organised crime gangs operating there. 

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The lead garda of the Drugs Unit oversees the searches and says operations are a regular occurrence in Limerick City due to the high volume of drug activity in the area. The gardai plan to disrupt and deter the sale and supply of drugs, gather intelligence, seize any drugs and cash from the proceeds of crime and arrest the suspect offenders with a view to charge them.

The lead garda explains: "At the moment, crack cocaine is a considerable issue in Limerick City."

On the approach to one area in the city, he adds: "This particular area, it's a hard area to police. There's only one way in and one way out. These properties, it's not a house. It's a location that's designed, replicated and it's controlled for the purpose of illegal sale and supply of crack cocaine in the city. It's the sole function."

"Effectively, it's a drug den," concluded the local garda.