GRANDPARENTS are being forced to pay off the drug debts of their grandchildren to save them from being shot dead or seriously injured, a Southside TD has claimed.
Speaking following the release of a CityWide report on intimidation, Deputy Sean Crowe (SF) said he was aware of “extreme cases” where grandmothers and grandfathers were being called to cover a grandchild’s alleged drug debt.
“This CityWide report on intimidation is timely,” Deputy Crowe said.
“The information that some drug dealers are pursuing parents for drug debts will come as a shock for some but is an accurate account of what is happening in many communities right across Dublin.”
“Unfortunately, it is becoming all too familiar in some areas with debts of thousands of euros being demanded from hard-pressed families.
“Vulnerable families are told in some cases to pay up or see your loved shot dead or seriously injured.
“However, in my experience, the intimidation is not just confined to parents.
“Grandmothers and grandfathers have also been approached and forced to pay out under the very real threat of seeing their grandchild shot dead or seriously injured.”
The research, which is set out in the report, ‘Demanding Money with Menace: Drug-related intimidation and community violence in Ireland’, was carried out jointly by the CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign and criminologist Dr Johnny Connolly.
Their latest research also shows that over two-thirds of people experiencing drug-related intimidation do not report incidents to gardaí mainly for fear of reprisal
“Many have said to me that they are caught between a rock and a hard place and that there is very little that the Garda authorities can do to protect their home, property or more importantly a loved one,” Deputy Crowe revealed.
“The power lies with the criminals.
“The gardaí don’t have the resources for round the clock surveillance, but they can and do offer advice.
“They have held training for people from community rehabilitation projects who come into contact with people who are caught up in this terrible situation,” he pointed out.
According to the report, three-quarters of intimidation incidents are directed at drug-users or the person in debt, while mothers of users are the target for one-third of incidents.
Almost half the respondents (46 per cent) said the intimidation involved physical violence while 32 per cent reported damage to property or homes.
“The report goes on to say that the majority of debts range from between €500 and €5,000, but this can be a lot higher,” Deputy Crowe stated.
“I would also welcome the suggestion of targeting local criminals’ money and an extension of the Criminal Assets Bureau to localised Garda districts.
“This move would be wholeheartedly supported by anti-drug activists and would take the fight directly to the drug dealers and their finances.”
Aaron McElroy