From hitting elderly grandparents when they're most vulnerable to forcing innocent young women into unthinkable acts, gardaí reveal the SICK new strategy drug dealers are employing to collect debts - and why no family member ANYWHERE is safe

Published: 22:43, 4 July 2026 | Updated: 22:43, 4 July 2026 Violent drug dealers are targeting the innocent families of people who owe them money outside post offices and forcing them to hand over their welfare payments, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned. The practice has become so widespread that gardaí across the country are now conducting high-visibility operations to combat growing intimidation. Families of people who become ensnared by drugs gangs are also being charged exorbitant ‘interest’ rates that are pushing them into financial ruin. In one case, a terrified grandmother told the MoS how she had to uproot her family and move to a different part of the country because she feared for their lives. The revelations come as gardaí struggle to curb the growing power of drug gangs terrorising communities in towns, cities and – increasingly – even isolated rural areas that had no previous experience of serious crime. However, uniformed officers are now maintaining a visible presence outside post offices where people – and their families – who find themselves in debt to dealers are being targeted by gangs. Violent drug dealers are targeting the innocent families of people who owe them money outside post offices and forcing them to hand over their welfare payments, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned Drug intimidation has become a pervasive issue, where criminals use violence or threats to enforce drug debts. Perpetrators face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of making threats, extortion, and coercion. However, a source familiar with the operations against the drug dealers this weekend said the problem has become a ‘scourge’ in urban and rural communities across the country. Earlier this month, a drug dealer was jailed for 10 years after he admitted intimidating and threatening users and their families for money. Mark Salmon, 33, inflated the debts of his drug-addicted customers and demanded thousands in cash from them and their families. Mark Salmon, 33, inflated the debts of his drug-addicted customers and demanded thousands in cash from them and their families Sources close to families with the growing problem, this week said there are ‘many more Mark Salmons wreaking havoc across communities’. Desperate families are being violently coerced into handing over tens of thousands of euros as small drugs debts increase exponentially as ruthless dealers add on inexplicable ‘taxes’. In some case, parents and grandparents are even being forced to sell their homes in a bid to clear the debt of their sons, daughters and grandchildren. And shockingly, young women with drug debts are also being forced into prostitution as dealers use threats of violence to intimidate their families.  One source said drug intimidation is now ‘a huge issue all across Ireland’ that gardaí are ‘trying to get a grip on’. They told the MoS: ‘In Limerick, gardaí are at the point of running overt policing operations outside the post office on welfare days where people with debts are literally handing their money over. ‘I know gardaí have dealt with people where it gets to the point that they are nearly handing over the deeds of the family home. ‘Others have actually sold their homes to clear the debt for younger family members who have gotten themselves in trouble. ‘Some women have been driven to prostitution. ‘It is a scourge and it is happening right around Ireland, both in urban and rural areas.’ Another source noted the growing problem has largely gone unreported because of the level of intimidation and fear involved. One source said drug intimidation is now ‘a huge issue all across Ireland’ that gardaí are ‘trying to get a grip on’ ‘It’s going on wholesale but it has not been reported as much as it should be,’ said the source. ‘We are hearing it, seeing it but it is not being reported because people are terrified.’ Opposition justice spokespeople this weekend accused Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan of lacking leadership on the issue of drug intimidation, which they said is destroying both urban and rural communities. Social Democrats and Dublin Central TD, Gary Gannon, said ‘drug-related intimidation is rampant, in inner-city Dublin and rural towns alike, and the violence that comes with it is wrecking lives’. He told the MoS: ‘Everything you’re describing there, families remortgaging or selling the family home to clear debts that were never theirs, grandparents and parents living in genuine fear of a knock on the door, isn’t anecdotal.  'It’s organised criminal extortion and it’s operating in plain sight the length and breadth of the country, and it thrives because too many people are too frightened to speak.’ In a sharp criticism of Mr O’Callaghan, Mr Gannon – who also chairs the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drug Use – claimed the growing crisis is ‘an area he [O’Callaghan] has shown no real interest in and no vision for confronting’. He added: ‘High-visibility policing is welcome where it happens, but it is a holding operation, not a strategy and a holding operation is all this Government has to offer. ‘You cannot intimidate your way out of a problem the State refuses to get ahead of. ‘As long as we treat people who use drugs as criminals rather than as a health issue, we leave them isolated and easy prey and we hand the gangs the fear and silence they depend on to control whole families.’ Sinn Féin frontbencher, Cavan-Monaghan TD, Matt Carthy, said drug intimidation has taken root in many rural communities that were left ‘under policed and under resourced for years’. He told the MoS: ‘There has been poor garda visibility in many communities. There is also a lack of community gardaí on the ground, something that is essential to building trust and preventing crime. ‘Drug-related intimidation is holding far too many communities and families to ransom. ‘It is unacceptable that family members are being attacked and intimidated to pay back debts.’ Sinn Féin frontbencher, Cavan-Monaghan TD, Matt Carthy, said drug intimidation has taken root in many rural communities that were left ‘under policed and under resourced for years’ He added: ‘There needs to be a redoubling of efforts to crack down on this criminality and violence, and to intervene to prevent these drug debts developing in the first place.’ Mr O’Callaghan did not respond directly to opposition criticisms on the rise of drug intimidation. However, the Department of Justice said in a statement that ‘An Garda Síochána is committed to continuing to build and maintain relationships with communities, agencies and groups in the fight against drug-related intimidation and violence within all communities’. A spokesman said the DRIVE [Drug-Related Intimidation and Violence Engagement] initiative project ‘has trained over 800 individuals across 24 drug and alcohol task force areas to offer support to those impacted by drug-related intimidation’ since it was launched by Mr O’Callaghan and drugs minister, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, last year. He added that, ‘in line with the Citizens Assembly recommendations, the Government has agreed to divert those found in possession of drugs for personal use to the health services, in line with a health-led approach to drug use.’ Last year, the first garda to be appointed as Rural Crime Lead told the MoS a trained inspector has been identified to oversee the growing problem of drug intimidation. Cork-based Superintendent Michael Corbett said young people were running up drugs debt they cannot pay and their parents and family are then targeted by drug dealers.  Cork-based Superintendent Michael Corbett said young people were running up drugs debt they cannot pay and their parents and family are then targeted by drug dealers Supt Corbett admitted at the time ‘there’s no doubt many people are too afraid to report’ violent drug gangs. In response to queries from the MoS, Garda Headquarters this weekend said: ‘Drug-related intimidation is a high priority for An Garda Síochána. ‘An Garda Síochána continues to maintain the Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme and has assigned nominated inspectors, in every garda region/division throughout the country to assist those who are victims of drug-related intimidation.’ Addressing people’s fear in coming forward, a spokesman stressed that gardaí will deal with ‘any complaint of drug-related intimidation… with the utmost safety and effective means in order to afford the person or family subject to the threat of the best level of security, advice and support which can be offered. ‘Most importantly, An Garda Síochána will deal with this issue in the utmost confidential and secure fashion.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.