A driver was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs, after failing a new antigen-style drugs test recently.
Gardai from the Dublin East Roads Policing Unit stopped the car at a checkpoint and the driver underwent a DrugsWipe test.
The antigen-like test came up positive for the presence of drugs and the driver was arrested. The driver was later searched at the station and gardai discovered they were carrying an amount of suspected cocaine.
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Gardai have only been using the new Securetec® Drugwipe 6s roadside drug testing device on Irish roads since the beginning of December.
The preliminary drug testing device was rolled out to Gardaí across the country. It works like an antigen test and is more portable and faster at delivering results.
The device can test for a greater range of drugs at the roadside including cannabis, cocaine, benzodiazepines and opiates, as well as being able to detect amphetamine and methamphetamine.
A total of 745 people were arrested for driving under the influence over the Christmas and the New Year period, with 136 of those arrested on suspicion of drug driving, according to Gardai.
A total of 155 people died on the roads in 2022 – this represents an increase of 18 deaths compared to 2021. Separately, 1,292 people were seriously injured on our roads last year up to December 29, 2022.
A garda spokesperson said: "It is an offence to drive under the influence of drugs, including prescribed drugs, where your driving is impaired to such an extent that you don’t have proper control of the vehicle. It is also an offence to drive under the influence of certain drugs, regardless of driving performance, above specified levels."
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