Ex Garda Micheal O Sullivan says he and others who were "closer to the ground" during the heroin epidemic in Dublin in the 1980's went undercover to identify drug dealers because something had to be done and they couldn't wait for the help of management at the time.
He was one member of 'The Mockeys' who were a group of young gardai that went undercover in Ballymun in the 1980's to arrest drug dealers. He speaks about how terrifying this job was in the first episode of Dublin Narcos which explores the heroin crisis that raged in Dublin in the 1980's.
Recovered drug addicts, ex Gardai and residents who experienced violence due to drugs in their communities are all featured in the first episode of Dublin Narcos which was shared at an exclusive screening in The Sugar Club last night. After a viewing of the episode, ex Garda Michael O Sullivan, recovered addict Jess Wade and Ballymun resident Dean Scurry formed a panel to talk about their appearances in the episode.
Read more: SuperValu programme open for small businesses to sell produce nationwide
Speaking about the crisis in Dublin at the time, Michael said: "nobody was ready for it, the health service wasn't ready, the communities weren't ready. Nobody knew what heroine was really coming in to 78, 79 and then 1980 and 81 it was just all over the place.
Everybody was just trying to play catch up and learn about the problem, including the communities."
The episode shows him and others undercover in places like Ballymun and speaking about the risk that he took doing that, he said: "younger members of the guards at the time came from Dublin and knew these communities so they knew what was needed to catch drug dealers and people like the Dunne brothers. We were closer to the ground than management. We hadn't got the time to wait for management to help us and we could see the opportunity collectively."
The episode shows an interview with resident Vivienne Thompson who was a member of the Concerned Parents Against Drugs (CPAD) in the 1980's. Communities such as Ballymun were becoming hubs for drug deals and drug related violence and parents and residents were angry and frustrated.
Dean was a child in Ballymun in the 1980's and echoed Vivienne's thoughts on the panel. He said: "we had a lot of alcohol in Ballymun and now we had heroin on top of that. Heroin was everywhere. All of my mates when we were 12 and 13 were selling heroin."
The episode focuses a lot on the Dunne brothers, especially Larry Dunne who is allegedly the person who brought heroin to Ireland. There is also an interview with his brother Christy Dunne in the episode in which he protests his brothers innocence to this day.
Looking at the society at the time recovered addict Paul Tracy who was featured in the episode said that Irish people "took to heroine like ducks to water".
Speaking about the generation of people who may not have ever taken heroin but got addicted to the party drug ecstasy, recovered addict Jess said: "The experimental phase of drugs for me personally was possibly the best times of my life.
Like I said in the Narcos preview for episode 2 I had a product and I was happy to sell it because of the experience I got from it. That only lasted for a short time and it was temporary."
When Jess was selling ecstasy, the Olympic Ballroom was the epicentre of partying for her customers. She said; "You were well known when you walked in the door. People knew who you were, they knew what you had and they were waiting for you.
For me after the experimental phase, drugs became problematic. Problems started to come in, I owed money to people, debts needed to be paid and the guards were coming in and they were dressing like us and looking like us and it was very hard to out do them all the time."
By time ecstasy had become the next drug problem, ex Garda Michael was too old to go undercover to raves to identify the dealers so it was up to the younger Gardai. Michael said: "You could have had 600 to 700 hundred people in the Olympic Ballroom, and there would be a sea of people up and down Camden street so it was a difficult and dangerous job for the young people."
Jess speaks about how she became addicted to ecstasy and then how heroin came into her life. She said: "Heroin was always there. The golden rule in my group was to not touch the heroine but it was introduced and it was starting to be sold among us.
It was easier to smoke heroin to come down off the ecstasy once the party ended. The introduction of heroin just became another love to me. After a while, I was just trying to keep up a habit and I was addicted. I was getting involved in all sorts, the party was well and truly over, I was just trying to survive."
At the end of the panel, the discussion turned to what answers are needed to solve the huge drug problem that still exists in Ireland today.
Dean believes that you can't stop people from doing drugs and whether you should be prosecuted or not should depend on the amount of drugs you have on you at the time. He thinks that the decriminalisation of drugs will help alleviate the problem.
Speaking about the drugs laws in place today, Michael said: "People talk about decriminalisation but when a heroin addict goes before the court very often it's a catalyst that makes people go to treatment."
Jess said: "There's been so many different discussions here about all these things going on in the big bad world, but the best thing to put on the table here is recovery because recovery is possible. Recovery needs to be promoted a bit more. There is no chemical solution to a spiritual problem."
All episodes of the documentary/drama series which combines interviews, drama and news bulletins from the 1980's will be available to watch on Sky on March 4.
Read next:
SuperValu programme open for small businesses to sell produce nationwide
Dublin Bus drivers at brink of not stopping at popular stops due to ongoing security issues
Charlie Bird thanks Bank of Ireland staff after he became distressed in branch
'Ireland has given me so many opportunities and I want the same for my daughter'
Gardai vow to tackle street level dealers operating in Dublin as we witness 15 arrests in one day
