The value of drugs seized in the Republic exceeded €100 million for the first time in 2003, according to the latest provisional seizure figures.
Last year's seizures represent a very significant increase on the €48 million recovered in 2002 and are more than a five-fold increase on the €20 million seized in 2000.
While most of the drugs were recovered in Dublin, the regions are increasingly becoming a more common location for major finds. In 2003 there were significant hauls found in Limerick, Wexford, Galway, Tipperary, Cavan and Meath.
The latest figures reveal around €102 million worth of cocaine, herbal cannabis, cannabis resin, ecstasy and amphetamine was seized in the first 11 months of 2003.
The figure does not include seizures of less than 1 kg. The figures also do not include a €1.27 million seizure of the drug khat at Dublin airport in February. The Garda National Drugs Unit and customs officers also seized €3.5 million worth of cocaine, ecstasy and heroin in Santry, Dublin on December 20th. When those seizures and others made in the month of December are added to 11-month total, the €100 million mark will be exceeded.
Senior Garda sources say they are most worried about the volume of cocaine on the market. In 2002 just 32kg, or €3.2 million, of cocaine was recovered.
But seizures of the drug will have trebled, to around almost €10 million, by the time of the final figures for 2003 are available.
One source said while the increase in the value of seizures demonstrates drugs are more widely available than ever, it also underlines the success of the Garda National Drugs Unit during the last year.
The National Advisory Committee on Drugs has warned Ireland may be at the beginning of a cocaine epidemic.
It believes the drug is now more readily available than ecstasy and that drug treatment facilities may become over loaded in coming years due to the number of cocaine users presenting for treatment.
The NACD's latest research indicates that in terms of "current use" among 15- to 34-year-olds, cocaine was the second biggest drug, after cannabis.
Dr Des Corrigan, chairman of the advisory committee, said the higher frequency of injecting cocaine was increasing the chances of users contracting hepatitis and HIV.
Against the backdrop of the expanding drugs industry and 17 gangland murders so far this year, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell said last month he plans to make membership of an organised criminal gang a specific offence as part of a new range of measures to strengthen the powers of the Garda.
He is considering giving gardaí the power to draw inferences from the possession of certain documents, or boiler suits and disguises.
The Minister also wants to extend the powers of the District Court to issue general search orders to the gardaí and to empower senior officers issue 24-hour search warrants in urgent cases.
Mr McDowell said DNA samples should be held for more than 12 months. He was "wholly unconvinced" by arguments which said that would infringe civil liberties.
