Drug info - cocaine in Ireland articles

[Lunar Loops]

This from the Irish Examiner:

02 July 2007

Cocaine common among teens, warns expert

YOUNGSTERS in their mid-teens are getting and using cocaine, according to addiction expert Stephen Rowen from Dublin’s Rutland Centre.

And a consultant psychiatrist Dr Conor Farren noted UN studies placed Ireland in the top five countries for an increase in cocaine use in 2005 — a trend that has reportedly since worsened.

Mr Rowen, Rutland’s clinical director, said cocaine — unlike heroin — had spread to every town and village in Ireland. Seasoned professionals were frightened at what was coming down the road for Irish society, he said. There was evidence teenagers as young as 16 were getting and using the hugely dangerous and addictive drug.

Dr Farren of St Patrick’s Hospital, Dublin, told a seminar on addiction that Ireland has the highest consumption of alcohol per head in the world by expenditure — €1,900— and the third highest consumption of alcohol in the world per head of population.

A wave of addictions had been sweeping the country and in the last 10 years Ireland had a staggering 41% increase in alcohol consumption, compared with a 5% increase in Britain.

Dr Farren said the link between suicide and alcoholism was well known but there was not sufficient public awareness of the fact that over the same 10-year period covering the 41% rise in alcohol consumption the suicide rate had increased by 44%. He said alcohol can make suicidal ideas more intense, can bring them on or can make someone disinhibited enough to try suicide, which they wouldn’t do when sober.

Mr Rowen, meanwhile, described gambling as the hidden addiction. He said 2007 will be the year money intake from gambling on the internet will outstrip that spent in betting shops.

He said addiction to legally prescribed drugs or over-the-counter drugs was growing fast and people attending his clinic have been addicted to substances such as painkillers, taking up to 10 or even 20 boxes of tablets per day.

Social activist Fr Peter McVerry SJ said cocaine was a terrifying drug, much more dangerous than heroin and causing enormous problems for those who use it. Heroin users knew it was the road to death, but there was no such awareness about cocaine, which was perceived as a good time recreational substance for the middle classes.

“The reality is that cocaine and crack cocaine are drugs that give the user enormous highs and dreadful lows and those who experience the lows can become so disturbed that their aggression levels soar.”

The documented huge rise in the use of this drug, which was available all over Ireland, was truly terrifying and recent newspaper reports about users spending up to €4,000 in a weekend on the drug were not exaggerated. He quoted his own experience of one young man who spent €3,000 in three days to feed his habit.

Mara DeLacy, director of the Stanhope rehabilitation centre, said people in their 30s and under coming to them with cocaine addiction problems were also becoming alcohol dependent. They used the alcohol to help cope with the awful withdrawal symptoms that can occur as the effect of the drug wears off.

[dbjay417]

Cocaine is not a drug for teens. They don't have good jobs, and if they become addicted will resort to criminal action to fuel their habit.

SWIM doesn't know that cocaine withdrawls are so awful. Authorities make it seem like cocaine withdrawls are the end of the world. You feel like crap, but just take some tylonol and deal with it. SWIM would rather withdrawl from coke than have a common cold.

[podge]

[top]Ireland

[top]"€50 million worth of cocaine recovered off Cork" - Customs officials

Monday, July 02, 2007
Customs officials believe they have made the largest drugs seizure in the history of the state.
Around forty large packages were recovered from the sea off the coast of West Cork today, containing what's believed to be half a tonne of cocaine.
Gardai, the coast guard and customs officers are now involved in a massive recovery operation in West Cork, which all began after a dinghy capsized a mile off shore this morning. Three men were on board - one of whom is still missing at sea.
Around forty bails were found floating in the water following the accident, and it's believed they contain cocaine worth around €50 million.
One was arrested in the area this afternoon - he's believed to be English and in his early twenties.
Gardai also towed away a van nearby, while the coastguard continued to search for the missing man.



http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/br...cle2728540.ece

[podge]

[top]Ireland

[top]"€50 million worth of cocaine recovered off Cork" - Customs officials

Monday, July 02, 2007
Customs officials believe they have made the largest drugs seizure in the history of the state.
Around forty large packages were recovered from the sea off the coast of West Cork today, containing what's believed to be half a tonne of cocaine.
Gardai, the coast guard and customs officers are now involved in a massive recovery operation in West Cork, which all began after a dinghy capsized a mile off shore this morning. Three men were on board - one of whom is still missing at sea.
Around forty bails were found floating in the water following the accident, and it's believed they contain cocaine worth around €50 million.
One was arrested in the area this afternoon - he's believed to be English and in his early twenties.
Gardai also towed away a van nearby, while the coastguard continued to search for the missing man.

[Nature Boy]

Half a tonne of cocaine? That's a gigantic haul. SWIM didn't even realise how much was coming into the country until now. Maybe those reports he's been reading in the Sunday newspapers are somewhat true. It's odd though, very few of his friends and acquaintants use cocaine regularly, if at all. Or perhaps people are very good at covering themselves up.

[Abrad]

SWIM certainly knows peoplw who use a ridiculous amount of coke. He can definetely imagine a massive demand in this country. A friend of SWIM goes through several ounces per week. But half a tonne?

[dbjay417]

That was probably going to be distributed all over western europe. After the UK had first whacks ofcourse. The sad part is that governments refuse to acknowledge the link between large scale drug busts and a spike in drug related violent crime.

[podge]

Originally Posted by dbjay417

That was probably going to be distributed all over western europe.

Maybe so. But swim would guess it was intended for here. Why risk transporting it to other countries when it's already in Ireland and the suppliers know the money they can make here is unbelievable.

Most people here who are into cocaine pay big bucks for shitty quality coke.......that coke was probably going to be mixed down quite a bit and then sold all over the country to make ridiculous profits.

Only an opinion though.

[dbjay417]

Thats may be true, but in SWIMs experience with drug distribution the main objective is to move the product as fast as possible and get ready for the next load. The last thing a drug dealer wants to do is hold onto product.

Cocaine consumption may be crazy in Ireland and the UK in general, but that amount of coke would still take a good deal of time to distribute even more so if they can step on it as badly as you say and still make good money.

[AceOvArts]

what a bummer

[Benga]

winds change, so do trade routes, cartels, law enforcement, economic distribution strategy....this is going nowhere good for anyone in swim's opinion, so let's call it a day before people start asking where and how.

thread closed
b

[Stiney]

The figures that are being quoted by police now are over 1 ton and 315,000,000 euro. I think I'll be heading down to Cork for a spot of scuba diving this weekend, you just know a few of those 10 kilo bags are still splashing around on the sea floor.

[Benga]

some collected posts on these subjects, that are no longer news but still worth a read

b