THE NEW GARDA Commissioner has criticised people who drive “green eco-cars” but also use cocaine as the production of the drug “destroys vast tracts of the Amazon”.

In July, Justin Kelly was appointed as Garda Commissioner, taking over the role from Drew Harris.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Kelly said he is “surprised” at the “complete disconnect” between cocaine users and the “damage that’s doing”.

New Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, Justin Kelly, speaks with the media during his first press conference Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“There seems to be a complete disconnect between the public – the users of particularly cocaine – and the damage that’s doing, not only in some of our most disadvantaged communities here in Ireland, but also outside of Ireland,” said Kelly.

He added: “If you look at some of the production areas, like Colombia, vast tracks of the Amazon destroyed by cocaine production.

“Let’s be realistic about this, we have people who are concerned about filling their green bin, concerned about driving a green eco-car and then using cocaine and destroying vast tracts of the Amazon with pollution.

“People who are interested in promoting various causes here, which are all good causes, and then using cocaine and supporting people in areas like Colombia who are virtually enslaved and trafficked into the drugs trade there, I can never understand that.”

A 2015 study found that in Colombia, cocaine producers discard more than 370,000 tonnes of chemicals into the environment annually, while jungle laboratories send more than 20 million litres of toxins into waterways, with affected waterways almost entirely devoid of aquatic plant and animal life.

Kelly added that the public “really needs to understand the implications of what they’re doing around drugs”.

He also spoke about the impact of drugs on “disadvantaged communities” in Ireland and remarked that juvenile liaison officers with An Garda Síochána do “great work” which needs to be continued.

“Trying to get involved with young people before they get caught up in the drugs business is obviously really important to us,” said Kelly.

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“This isn’t a job just for gardaí, we’ve got to work with other criminal justice partners, particularly probation and the courts.”

He added that “drugs related intimidation” is one of the “by-products of the drugs trade”.

“These absolutely shocking stories around drugs related intimidation, people having to sell their houses, property being destroyed, and again, that disconnect that people think they can use drugs with abandon and have no concern about the consequences for it.”

Meanwhile, Kelly commended the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau for its work and also praised the work of drugs units around the country.

“All those seizures, arrests, prosecutions; there’s an immense amount of work in the background that goes into all of those, so we will be continuing to do that again.

“That’s an area that we need to grow our capabilities around.”