An Garda Síochána, Revenue’s Customs Service and the Irish Naval Service will further develop and strengthen each agency’s role and the complementary relationship that exists between all agencies in the fight against drug smuggling in the maritime domain. One of the aims of Coastal watch is to raise community awareness about risk indicators and previous case studies of successful drug interdictions, where information received from the public was critical to stopping drugs reaching vulnerable communities.
Speaking today Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin said:
The purpose of the Coastal Watch launch is to focus the attention of the statutory and voluntary organizations along with farming groups, coastal communities, commercial and fishing industry and all those who use our seas for business and pleasure purposes on how they can assist the statutory agencies in Keeping Drugs at Bay.
Some of the risk indicators that members of the public are requested to be on the lookout for are:
- Suspicious activity in relation to persons or vehicles
- Ships and yachts sighted in remote areas
- Crew making landings in remote areas
- Unusual objects at sea or ashore
- Ships away from their normal shipping lanes
- Vessels operating at night without lights
- Packages floating in the sea, lying on the beach or hidden close to the shore.
Anglesea St Garda Station 021-4542000
Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111
Emergency Number 112/999
Naval Operations Centre 021– 4864707
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