Issue Date: 20th December 2021
Nine (9) persons have been charged with offences contrary to Sections 3 and 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 and are due to appear before Bray District Court, today Monday 20th December 2021 at 1030am.
From the 30th November 2021 to 3rd December 2021 Gardaí in Wicklow, under Operation Tara, led by the Wicklow Divisional Drugs Unit, and supported by local uniform/ plainclothes and Regional resources, searched 26 locations in County Wicklow.
Gardaí have charged 19 persons and referred 12 youths to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, following this extensive investigation targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs in Co. Wicklow (Bray, Wicklow, Arklow & Greystones)
Ten (10) persons have already appeared before Bray and Arklow District Courts.
Twelve (12) Juveniles have been referred for consideration for inclusion in the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, as required under the Children’s Act 2001.
The investigation was led by Gardaí attached to the Wicklow Divisional Drugs Unit under Operation TARA alongside the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) under Operation Clean Streets.
This investigation is ongoing.
The goal of Operation Tara is to protect communities from the scourge of illegal drugs in line with An Garda Síochána’s mission of Keeping People Safe.
The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels - international, national, local - involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs.
Speaking at the launch of Operation Tara on the 1st July 2021 Garda Commissioner Drew Harris stated -
"Under Operation Tara there will be a particular focus on street level dealing. Not only is this dealing devastating for the individual buying the drugs and their loved ones, it is also corrosive for local communities to have to witness it.”
"It is no longer the case that such dealing is confined to our cities and urban areas, it is now happening in towns and villages around the country. Operation Tara will tackle this scourge.”
