Cocaine use is the driving factor behind drug-related intimidation (DRI) in the Republic, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of all cases, a new report has found.<\/p>\n
Garda\u00ed<\/a> have said criminal intimidation has become increasingly common<\/a> in the past five years. Victims have been forced to store drugs, have had threats against family members and experienced sexual exploitation.<\/p>\n The findings come from a report by the National Drug Related Intimidation & Violence Engagement Project reviewing people who accessed addiction or family supports and disclosed experiences of drug-related intimidation.<\/p>\n More than four in 10 cases (43 per cent) took place in Dublin, but no other county accounted for more than 9 per cent of cases.<\/p>\n While victims were of various ages, 59 per cent were male. Those behind the intimidation were \u201cpredominantly male and under 30 years of age\u201d, the report found.<\/p>\n \u201cA small proportion were aged under 18, identifying that youth exploitation, coercion, and early criminal involvement are active components of the manifestation of DRI in Ireland,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n Victims of intimidation reported threats to their safety and that of their family members, as well as threats of property damage.<\/p>\n Some reported suffering \u201ccoercive demands\u201d such as holding drugs and other contraband. Others alleged sexual exploitation, blackmail and forced involvement in criminal activities.<\/p>\n The majority of instances of drug-related intimidation, 59.2 per cent, were to do with the victim\u2019s drug use. A further 11.5 per cent related to involvement in drug dealing.<\/p>\n Cocaine was behind 58.8 per cent of cases, with cannabis the next most common drug at 14.4 per cent. Most cases involved drug debts.<\/p>\n Assistant commissioner for organised and serious crime Angela Willis said the Garda has seen an increase in the number of reported drug-related intimidation cases in the past five years.<\/p>\n In 2025, garda\u00ed dealt with about 600 incidents of drug-related intimidation.<\/p>\n