Significant Increase In Drugs Detections In Clare

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There’s been a significant increase in the number of drug detection across Clare.

This afternoon’s meeting of the county’s Joint Policing Committee has shown a worrying rise in both incidents where a person has been caught in possession of drugs for personal use and the intention to sell the drugs.

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Figures from across the Clare Garda Division show that so far this year, some 148 people were arrested under Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act in this county.

This includes – but isn’t limited to – the possession of a controlled drug for personal use, with Gardaí recording a rise of 40% on this time last year in such detections.

A similar increase was recorded in arrests under Section 15 of the same act – the more serious offence of possession with intent to supply – with 53 people detained so far this year; a 47% rise on the same period in 2018.

In better news for the county, a welcome drop in incidents of criminal damage, thefts from persons and thefts from motor vehicles were all recorded.

Gardaí say their media campaign encouraging people to lock their vehicles and leave no valuables on display is working – with a 50% drop in incidents of vehicles break-ins.

Arson has experienced a marginal increase of three, with 15 cases recorded so far in 2019, while sexual offences are up 7& to 16.

And though there was a slight drop of 5% in the number of burglaries around the county, the urban centres of Ennis, Shannon and Sixmilebridge continue to be areas of concern for the Gardaí.