Drugs problem growing in Moyle says McShane

Cara McShane said there was a huge amount more interest and more concern within the Moyle district about the availability of drugs and the close proximity of Ballymena - the epicentre of drugs where people were "ferried" so that they could bring them back.

Speaking at a meeting of Moyle DPP in Cushendall, Councillor McShane posed a number of questions to the Area Commander, John Magill, about the number of seizures for controlled drugs and had those searches increased.

The Sinn Fein representative said she believed that the drugs issue was a growing problem within her council areal and claimed that an increase in criminal damage and burglaries could have a correlation with the increase in the drugs problem.

Chief Inspector Magill said it was known that those with a drugs habit will break into premises to steal. He said, however, that he could not say what the motive behind the burglaries in the Moyle area was.

Earlier, Chief Inspector Magill said he did not have figures for seizures with him, but would undertake to get them.

"Police are seizing cannabis, which is the most prevalent drug in the Moyle area, and amphetamines. We have had notable success in identifying cannabis factories and where we have information of people dealing in drugs that information will be acted upon.

"I would appeal to the community to pass on information about anyone distributing drugs or dealing, or setting up factories," he added.

Ulster Unionist Councillor, Willie Graham, asked if Bushmills had a drugs problem to which Chief Inspector Magill said they had had a number of seizures, but there were matters of confidentiality that he could not discuss in public.

Sergeant Lorraine Connor said there was limited intelligence coming from Bushmills to which Councillor Graham replied: "We are safe enough."