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Dealers using Irish courier firms to safely ferry drugs to customers

Revenue officer Liam Peakin warned about the rise in the trade.

DRUG DEALERS SOURCING their stock online are using intermediary delivery firms to transport their wares.

Revenue has said that, as the demand for drugs rises, so too do the number of attempts to bring them in using new methods.

While attempting to smuggle drugs using the postal service is nothing new, dealers are now starting to use third-party parcel storage delivery firms to move their goods.

Liam Peakin, who is manager in Customs Drugs Law Enforcement in the Revenue Investigations & Prosecutions Division, said the practice is becoming more and more prevalent despite an increase in detections.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, he said: “The internet drug market is a challenging for us and for the gardaí. There has been a huge increase in the amount of people who are going online looking for illegal drugs.

“Are we going to beat this? I don’t think so.”

Despite the rising number of people trying to bring in drugs into Ireland, Peakin said there are certain tell-tale signs which tip-off Revenue and mail sorters to packages which potentially contain illegal products

“If it’s coming from a particular source then we might have a closer look. Also, there would be a commonality of packaging. So we’d hear of specific ways drugs have been packaged and then look out for that.”

Illicit drugs purchased via the dark web or so-called legal highs which are legal in certain jurisdictions are being shipped nationwide.

When asked about dealers and customers using courier services to transport drugs, Peakin added that it is something which he is seeing more and more of.

“That is another means of delivery, alright. It’s an extension of the postal service. But what you have here is another strand. It’s difficult to police at times. You’d have to have surveillance on petrol stations and different vans. To police it requires a lot of resources and it’s sometimes difficult to persuade people to give them to you.

TheJournal.ie has contacted a number of delivery firms to get a statement on each firm’s delivery protocols. There was no response by time of publication. 

Read: Ming Flanagan: ‘Our Minister for Health is like the God of the Old Testament – mean’

Read: Gardaí launch ‘Operation Enable’ to catch drivers using fake disabled parking permits

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    Mute Padriag O'Traged
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    Sep 18th 2015, 8:32 AM

    *takes out light sabre*

    166
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    Mute Joe Travers
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    Sep 18th 2015, 8:42 AM

    I’d inVADER if I got hold of her.

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Sep 18th 2015, 9:53 AM

    I’d say if you did, she’d give you a JABBA THE HUT.

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    Mute dj
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    Sep 18th 2015, 8:41 AM

    There must be a few rich star wars fanatics out there,licking their lips,knowing there’s a chance to sniff Princess Leias panties. It must be like their holy grail.

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    Mute Dan Higgins
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    Sep 18th 2015, 8:41 AM

    Does Princess Leia come with the bikini?

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    Mute Andy Cahalan
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    Sep 18th 2015, 8:47 AM

    The Journal really like Friends! What’s the deal Darragh?

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    Mute little jim
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    Sep 18th 2015, 8:53 AM

    As we learned from that famous friends episode..

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    Mute TommyJung
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    Sep 18th 2015, 8:41 AM

    Never got ‘Friends’ to be honest. Too formulaic Humour for nerds. Longest running ad campaign for opticians ever.
    Or Star Wars…..science fiction for kindergarten kids.

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    Mute stephen
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    Sep 18th 2015, 9:19 AM

    Couldn’t have said it any better myself, when I tell people I’ve never seen more than 10mins of Star Wars they usually stand back in shock and suspect me of being some sort of oddball, and as for that horseshit of a comedy friends I don’t even want to go there.

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    Mute O'Brien Boru
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    Sep 18th 2015, 9:46 AM

    When I tell people that I only read 1% of your comment and then deemed it all to be rubbish, will they think I’m strange too?

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    Mute Nucky
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    Sep 18th 2015, 9:49 AM

    No O Brien id say your normal

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    Mute TommyJung
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    Sep 18th 2015, 12:49 PM

    OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Brian Boru replied to me online.
    OMG
    OH…….MY…….GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Mute stephen
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    Sep 18th 2015, 10:59 PM

    O Brien Buro, would you drink a whole pint of sour milk, to know it was sour or would one sip be enough?

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    Mute Matthew Fitzpatrick
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    Sep 18th 2015, 9:10 AM

    Growing up I always thought Jabba was holding a dirty big glass of coke in the scene where he threatens Leia.

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    Mute Don Juan
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    Sep 18th 2015, 9:15 AM

    I’ll give my buddy a call and he can come take a look at it…

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    Mute Ken Pepper
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    Sep 18th 2015, 12:37 PM

    Hope she washed it and there are no bantha tracks in the bottoms…

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    Mute David Carino
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    Sep 18th 2015, 9:52 AM

    Did this infomation come from Eddie Crispo

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    Mute O'Brien Boru
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    Sep 19th 2015, 12:08 AM

    Is it Avonmore 1% Super Milk?

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