Pubdate: Wed, 06 Sep 2000 Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland) Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000 Contact: http://www.examiner.ie/ Author: Brendan Carroll DRUGS WORTH POUNDS 400,000 BEING TRADED IN GALWAY Over pounds 400,000 worth of drugs is being traded in Galway each week and heroin is now a problem in the city, a government minister revealed yesterday. TD for Galway West, Frank Fahey said the growing problem highlighted the urgent need for more gardai in the city. Mr Fahey said levels of violence on the streets had increased and there was a noticeable switch to harder drugs despite extraordinary efforts by gardai to control the drugs flow. Minister Fahey, who met Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne along with the Minister for Justice John O'Donoghue, to call for extra garda manpower in Galway, said that there was a feeling at garda HQ that there was enough manpower on the streets. That attitude was not acceptable, he said. "The gardai in Galway have done extraordinary work in their battle against the drugs trade. Estimates are that pounds 400,000 worth of drugs are being sold in the city every week, but my particular concern now is that there are reports of heroin being used, whereas 12 months ago, it was not. If this trade gets a hold, it will mean the death knell for Galway. "A lot of the violence at night is drink and drugs related. Some months ago I spent a number of nights in the casualty ward to observe for myself what was happening, and was shocked to see the numbers coming in out of their minds with drink and drugs. I have to say that there were also some close calls from drugs such as Ecstasy. There were cases where young people could have died," said Mr Fahey. The minister said the number one priority now had to be further resources for Galway gardai who were having success in the frontline battle against crime. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D