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Dublin

Gardaí seize more heroin than any other drug on O'Connell Street

New figures from gardaí reveal the progress of Operation Spire so far.

Updated 9.36pm

imageClick here to view a larger version. (Image Credit: TheJournal.ie)

GARDAÍ HAVE SEIZED almost €16,000 worth of drugs in the first six weeks of Operation Spire, an initiative targeting drug dealing and anti-social behaviour on O’Connell Street.

The vast majority of these seizures were of diamorphine, or heroin.

€7,700 was seized under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, meaning the drugs were for supply, with €1,175 seized under Section 3, or for possession.

This is close to double the amount of the next most common drug, Benzodiazapines, which is prescribed to reduce anxiety or stress.

The amount of this drug recovered for supply was worth €4,314, although the figure for possession is unavailable.

Cannabis

Slightly more cannabis was than heroin was seized under Section 3, at €1,220, although significantly for supply at just €110.

Small amounts of cocaine and horse tranquillizer Ketamine were seized.

The figures also show that Mephadrone, also known by its street name “Meow Meow”, is still present on Dublin’s streets despite being banned in 2010.

Prior to that, it was freely available in headshops.

imageClick here to view larger version. (Image Credit: Garda Press Office)

“It should also be noted that to date over 8,000 non controlled tablets have been surrendered,” gardaí say, including Zopicolone and Zimovane.

Gardaí are also targeting anti-social behaviour, and have issued 111 ‘Behaviour Warnings’ so far as part of the operation.

Over 3,000 incidents, both drug and public related, have been recorded.

imageClick here to view larger version. (Image Credit: Garda Press Office)

Three convictions have been secured so far, and three cases are before the courts.

Originally published 3.39pm

Previously: The first four days of Operation Spire >

Read: ASBOs can change perception that ‘out of control’ O’Connell Street is unsafe >