A confidential phone line will allow people to anonymously report drug dealing in their area.
The telephone service has been piloted in Dublin and Kildare over the past three months and has resulted in seizures of cannabis, heroin and cocaine.
Some drug dealing is blatant. Other drug deals are more covert in houses, pubs, clubs, offices and other workplaces. Drugs are the lifeblood of gangland crime.
Amid fear of intimidation or reprisals, some genuinely concerned citizens can be afraid to be seen to help with Garda investigations. The new free, confidential phone line makes it much easier for people to pass on information to the Gardaí anonymously.
The scheme was first introduced in Blanchardstown resulting in many tip-offs for local detectives. Phillip Keegan of Blanchardstown Local Drugs Task Force encourages people to make the call if they see something that they are not happy about.
The initiative is funded by the Dormant Accounts Fund and has received 1,200 calls in the last three months.
Helping to build up a bigger and better picture of drug dealing.
Inspector Jerry Keohane, Tallaght Garda Station, points to the successes of the campaign with seizures of all types of drugs taking place.
It's no secret that just a short distance from Dublin's main thoroughfare if you go in any given direction, you may find drug dealing going on.
The Dial To Stop Drug Dealing campaign will soon spread to other parts of the country including Limerick and Cork. It is all part of an initiative to encourage people to find the courage to reclaim their communities.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 27 January 2009. The reporter is Barry Cummins.
