PSNI outline drug crime priorities as seizure figures are released

The PSNI officer in charge of tackling drugs crime has revealed that the police are currently targeting around 50-70 crime gangs within Northern Ireland.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andrea McMullan said these gangs can range in size but police are specifically focusing their efforts and attention on 100-130 people linked to drugs criminality.
The PSNI officer in charge of tackling drugs crime has revealed that the police are currently targeting around 50-70 crime gangs within Northern Ireland.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andrea McMullan said these gangs can range in size but police are specifically focusing their efforts and attention on 100-130 people linked to drugs criminality.
The profiles of these suspects include individuals from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and European nationals. Some of these also may have a paramilitary background.
The latest figures from the PSNI have revealed that in the Derry and Strabane district, drug seizures up to July 2016 were 438 – down 8 on the previous 12 months.
However in the Fermanagh/Omagh area a total of 243 drug seizures were made up until July of this year – up 41 from the year previous.
Police say it is unclear whether the increase in seizures is due to police becoming more effective or there are more drugs in circulation.
The PSNI also works closely with An Garda Síochána and Border Force UK to tackle drugs crime.
However police believe that due to seizures and prosecutions over the last year, drug dealers have become more cautious.