Police raid legal high shops in Derry
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has raided several shops in Derry City and seized a number of legal high drugs.
The police operation was carried out with cooperation from Derry City Council officials on the afternoon of 12th January. The operation targeted a number of shops in the city, looking for the psychoactive substances commonly known as legal highs. The drugs that were seized during the raid will be destroyed.
The City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team’s Sergeant Cathal Pearce said: “Some products marketed as legal highs actually contain ingredients that are illegal to possess. These products can carry serious health risks, as the chemicals they contain have in most cases never been used in drugs for human consumption nor tested to show that they are safe. Users can never be certain what they are taking and what the effects might be.”
His words were echoed by Chief Inspector Tony Callaghan, the area commander for Foyle, who acknowledged the growing concern within the Derry community regarding the use and availability of legal high drugs. He stated that the police were working with the community, including residents, retailers and officials within the local council and health authorities, to keep the area clean of products that could compromise public safety.
New legislation means that several substances previously known as legal highs are now categorised as class A drugs and are therefore illegal to possess.