MORE Garda resources will be directed to the growing problem of illegal drugs sales and movements across Galway city and county, according to Garda Chief Superintendent, Tom Curley.

Chief Supt. Curley told the Connacht Tribune that given the scale of drugs seizures across the county – and the increasing number of ‘drugs driving’ cases – the extent of the problem should not be under-estimated.

“We work very closely with our national units and other state agencies, but I do believe that we [An Garda Siochána] will need to put even more resources into this aspect of policing.

“Of course, this is not just a Garda issue – it’s a far bigger problem for society at large. Only for the demand is there for illegal drugs, then the criminal gangs simply wouldn’t have the ready market available to them for the sale of those substances,” said Tom Curley. While he says this he is completely ignoring that without the prohibition of these drugs which Mr. Curley is so happy to enforce over other far more serious crimes is the real reason these “drug gangs” exist in the first place. For it’s the prohibition of drugs which gives value to these drugs and thus incentivises the gangs to control the trade by any means necessary (including dismembering the body of a teenager).

“We’ve had a lot of successes in terms of drugs seizures and also in relation in operation conducted with CAB (Criminal Assets Bureau) with our Divisional Drugs Unit very active over the past year, but it’s an ongoing battle,” he added. But what he wont admit is it’s a battle that will wage on forever because the prohibition of drugs is never going to quench an individuals desire to use a substances. Ffs the laws cant even prevent people from doing harm to another but at least it makes sense to prohibit and enforce something which harms another but to try prohibit something that potentially only harms the individual using it makes no sense at all. Its like the government banning sky diving, boxing or even horse riding because of potential harms to an individual.

Chief Supt Curley said that while the drugs market was being driven by younger people there was also now a demand for cocaine across a broader spectrum of people including usage in private settings where detection would be far more difficult. Mr. Curley again so ignorant to the fact that illegal drug use has always gone on in mostly private settings which the Gardaí have violated on many an occasion. I know of people who only ever consumed cannabis in their home privately and never sold to anyone, only to still have the privacy and security of their home violated by the gardai enforcing this inhumane prohibition of drugs.

Mr. Garda Curley also said “there has been an increase in the incidence rate of domestic violence since the start of Covid & we have a specialist protective services unit in place while all members of the Gardaí are also acutely aware of the importance of responding to domestic violence situations”. So much so there have been thousands of calls to Gardaí for domestic violence gone unanswered

“If you are the victim of domestic violence – or if you have worries about someone who could be in a vulnerable situation – my advice is to make that call to the Gardaí who will check out such reports thoroughly,” he said with a big grin while trying to keep the laughter from bursting out.

Another area of concern, he added, for Gardaí was in relation to public order issues and especially in the larger urban settings where members were reporting increasing instances of abusive behavior from people on the street – often alcohol fueled and late at night.

“We know that we have to earn the respect of people with our actions and responses but there definitely have been more incidences of abuse being directed towards Gardaí in recent times.” Clearly garda Curley is ignorant to the fact that his actions enforcing the prohibition of drugs is far from respectful to the people he is supposedly protecting. The prohibition of drugs in my opinion is the policy which has caused the most breakdown between gardai and members of the community they protect.

Following the comments from garda Curley there has been a notable increase in sex offenders and burgulars moving to the Galway area. My advice if your are from Galway would be to contact the Galway gardai through the email link on this page or give them a call on +35391337140 and let them know how safe you feel now that drugs are their top priority.