YOUNG gardaí have re­ceived specialist training to go undercover and infiltrate drug-dealing gangs.

Officers from the Garda National Drugs Unit (GNDU) have launched a new operation targeting drug dealing in the capital. Undercover gardaí have been attempting to earn the trust of street dealers in a bid to get closer to the drug dealers higher up the chain of command.

Many of the street dealers are addicted to drugs themselves and the undercover gardaí first attempt to gain their confidence before building intelligence on the more senior criminals in­volved in the sale and supply of illegal drugs. Those being targeted are involved at mid-level in the wholesale supply of drugs.

Many senior detectives from the GNDU have
re­ceived specialist training from international surveillance experts on how to monitor and infiltrate drugs gangs.

These techniques have been passed on to officers working in the drugs squad.

"A lot of drug-dealing in Dublin city particularly has become quite blatant," said a senior garda source.

"By using undercover officers, we are going to build up a profile of how these gangs operate, from the street dealers to the guys higher up the food chain. It won't be easy but we think it could be beneficial, particularly in terms of intelligence gathering."

The new operation is at an early stage. "These things cannot be rushed. We know that when a drug dealer is arrested and charged there are many others more than willing to take that person's place. We will learn a lot about how some of these gangs do their business," he added.