PEOPLE living along the coast and organisations operating at sea have been called to row in with Gardaí and State agencies to stop drugs flowing into Limerick.
Launched last week, Coastal Watch Limerick is a multi-agency initiative involving An Garda Síochána, the Irish Naval Service, and Revenue’s Customs Service.
With 60km of coastline around Limerick, eyes and ears are needed everywhere to stop illegal drugs reaching shore.
“Among the aims of Coastal Watch is raising community awareness about risk indicators, as previous cases have shown that information received from the public was critical to stopping drugs reaching vulnerable communities,” a Garda spokesman said.
Speaking at the local launch at Foynes Yacht Club, Limerick Division Chief Superintendent Derek Smart said “the scourge of illegal drugs permeates every facet of society and Ireland has witnessed a number of significant sea-based drug seizures in recent times”.
“Coastal Watch Limerick is being launched to remind all who use our waterways –including statutory and voluntary organisations, farming groups, coastal communities, and those involved in the commercial fishing industry – of their important role in this space. By acting together, we can work to keep drugs at bay,” he said.
“All of us have a role to play in securing our coastal waters and keeping our communities safe. Local communities are of paramount importance, as you are the people best placed to monitor our coastline, to know what looks out of place and to report any suspicious activity to those of us tasked with enforcement and detection.”
