A SERVING Garda has presented information to a serving TD, alleging a drug dealing arrangement orchestrated by fellow officers to boost crime figures, the Dail has heard.
Revealing the identity of the Athlone based whistle blower, Luke Ming Flanagan, told the Dail chamber that Nick Keogh, a Garda in Athlone had presented with information because no other satisfactory outlet of disclosure was available.
“There was a systematic and orchestrated effort by high ranking Gardai to coerce Irish citizens - in this case with no previous criminal convictions - to buy drugs from drug dealers and in doing so, put them in personal danger, and in turn to sell drugs to undercover Gardai without making any profit thus boosting crime detection figures for arrest,” said the Independent TD.
“The result of this operation was that these mostly young citizens of the State now have serious drug convictions where none – at least in this case – previously existed.”
Mr Flanagan added: “[This is] an aspect of grave concern in the planning of this operation was that the list of nominated persons to be targeted had a notable omission that a noted and recognised drug dealer in the area – who had long been associated with a senior member of the Drugs Unit was excluded.”
The Garda Press Office had no comment at this time.
