The Garda Commissioner has said the illegal drug trade has “never waned” during the pandemic, bucking overall crime trends which show sustained downward or stabilised rates of offending. He said “unprovoked attacks” on gardaí continued during the month of July, including one incident in Tallaght, west Dublin, where shots were fired at unarmed gardaí on routine patrol. “The national overview of crime trends recently indicated sustained downward and stabilised rates across a range of offences, such as criminal damage, public order and sexual offences,” he said. Drug offences“However, it is clear that the illegal drug trade never waned, despite widespread international restrictions.”He said that along with policing pandemic restrictions, the organisation established dedicated drug units in every garda division. "This, and other recent attacks on Gardaí nationwide, further emphasise the inherent risks involved in modern policing.

Source: Irish Examiner September 01, 2021 05:15 UTC