A national drugs support network receives an average of seven calls a month from families who are being intimidated over the drug debts of their loved ones.
The National Family Support Network has reported an increase in the number of calls reporting drug-related threats or intimidation but says the crime remains significantly underreported.
Speaking at the launch yesterday of a national reporting programme for families experiencing drug-related intimidation, network co-ordinator Sadie Grace said intimidation included threats of physical and sexual violence, while some families have had their houses or cars petrol-bombed.
“The other significant thing that’s happening which we are hearing about more and more within the past year and a half, maybe two years, is that a lot of young [teenagers] are accruing debts because of ‘weed’ [cannabis herb]. That didn’t happen before, but weed is much more valuable than...hash and they’re getting addicted to weed,” she said.
“I would be urging families, please come forward...and let somebody support you through this.”
Drug-related intimidation
Assistant Garda Commissioner Derek Byrne said the full scale of the issue of drug-related intimidation was "not fully known" but said that it was likely many cases go unreported.
He said that, typically, intimidation escalates over time: “It starts with a knock on the door...It could be the first time the family know anything about this at all and there’s a shock and disarray as they try to come to terms with it .”
He urged any families experiencing intimidation to contact gardaí or the National Family Support Network: “Come forward and talk to us and let’s see what the options are. We’re giving you an option to sit down and talk to us. Let us have a look at it and assess the risk that there is to you or your family and come up with an appropriate strategy.”
Det Supt Stephen Courage of the Garda National Drugs Unit said that, often, payment does not stop the intimidation from occurring.
‘Soft target’
“Unfortunately these people who are engaged in this type of intimidation will see...a family who pays up thinking that it will go away...as a soft target.”
Minister of State at the Department of Health Alex White, who officially launched the national reporting system yesterday, said the issue of intimidation was "a huge problem".
"People have been talking about this for some time - for the need for a concerted approach to be taken. I really welcome the involvement of An Garda Síochána, they've done terrific work and I think again, it reflects the hugely important community dimension of dealing with the drugs problem."
The National Family Support Network can be contacted at (01) 8365168.