Rise in drugs seizures during past 12 months

THE number of drug seizures in the Fermanagh and Omagh District area has risen to almost two per day during the past year.

New figures released by the Policing and Community Safety Partnership have revealed that cannabis and cocaine are now the main drugs being seized locally.

A total of 75 seizures of cocaine took place during the year, while the figure for cannabis was 320.

The number of seizures for both was well in excess of the numbers of other drugs seized locally.

Statistics released by the PSNI’s District Commander, Robert McGowan, show that the number of drugs seizures has risen from 369 to more than 400 in the course of the past year.

The PSNI say that they have conducted drugs raids on 45 premises and the total value of the seizures reached well in excess of £120,000.

The figures also show that more than £50,000 of cash was also seized during the year to the end of December 2023.

“The District Support team has worked closely with the Neighbourhood Policing Team and Local Policing Team particularly over the last number of months and through proactive intelligence work have conducted a number of premises searches leading to the arrest of individuals for drug supply offences,” said the report, compiled by PSNI Fermanagh and Omagh District Commander Robert McGowan.

“We continue to detect and deal with a significant number of individuals for lower level ‘possession only’ drug offences.

“Over the course of the last year 49 Community Reoslution Notices for a variety of these types of offences, a port of which, where eligible, will result in the recipient atending a Drug and Alcohol Awareness course,” the report adds.

Just over 22,000 drugs items have been disposed of in so-called RAPID bins, which are located in a variety of locations, including at Mountfield Community Centre where one was added during the past year.