Children ‘gophering’ in Galway are earning up to €100 per day ferrying drugs by bicycle to house parties across the city, according to a local councillor.
Speaking after a meeting of the Western Region Drug & Alcohol Taskforce (WRDATF ) this week, Galway city councillor Níall McNelis says Garda intelligence shows unscrupulous drug dealers are targeting vulnerable children to become ‘gophers’ to move product to customers quickly by bike and scooter.
“They’re being paid up to a hundred euros to deliver drugs. They see how much money there is to be made, start dealing a bit themselves, but then get into debt,” says the Labour Party councillor for the city west ward. “I’m hearing of parents forced to go into the Credit Union each week to take out [money] for dealers who threaten their children, and I’m aware of one family in my area who were forced to sell their house and move away because of the debt threats.”
In March this year Galway’s police chief set up a special unit to tackle drug gangs who are intimidating families over their children’s debts. Speaking at a city council Joint Policing Committee, Chief Superintendent Gerry Roche said gardaí were concerned about threats of assault and arson against family members of young people who often had drugs or cash confiscated by officers when arrested.
In 2017, the Co Mayo family home of a young drug courier arrested in Galway carrying over 300 ecstasy tablets and around €1,000 in cash was reportedly attacked with a firebomb. When sentencing the vulnerable young man to a €300 fine in 2021 for possession, the Galway district court judge presiding noted how the consequences of the drug trade can be terrible for families.
Councillor McNelis says education rather than policing alone has to be part of the solution: “Through local schools and sports clubs I want to increase resources for drug education. We need to get the message out there: don’t get involved. The debt can cripple your family.”
The WRDATF runs a drug-related intimidation programme for families. Its DRIVE initiative (Drug Related Intimidation & Violence Engagement ) is a multi-agency approach to the issue.
McNelis urges families to report drug debt intimidation to the Garda confidential line: 1800 666 111. “The guards can be a first point of contact to get help. If these issues are not reported in Galway then senior officers don’t have the data necessary to secure more resources to fight this.”
