DORMANT ACCOUNT funds are to be used for the roll-out of a national campaign against drug dealing, following the success of pilot projects in pubs. The Department of Justice has secured €300,000 from the dormant accounts fund for the “dial to stop a drug dealer” project, and the department will provide a further €50,000 for the campaign, which will begin in the autumn.
In the Dáil last week Dublin Central Labour TD Joe Costello highlighted the success of the campaign in pubs run by the Dublin North Central Garda division and the local task force.
Posters funded by the Garda and beer mats advertising publicans’ responsibilities and displaying dedicated telephone numbers were part of the campaign.
Minister of State Barry Andrews said some of the information provided to the confidential telephone numbers “have been particularly helpful in identifying new dealers, confirming existing suspicions and generally assisting police intelligence on local drug dealing activity”. He said the campaigns had directly led to a number of arrests.
