GUN LAW

The idea that some self-appointed ``enforcer'' in the underworld can
order two brutal murders is a chilling reminder of the evil that
prevails in the drugs trade.

The deaths of two young men one said to be 20, the other only 19 -
over an apparent failure to meet a drugs debt, marks another sinister
low in the sordid history of gangland slayings.

The fact that the killings were classed as ``drugs related'' by gardai
will in no way detract from the revulsion at this outrage.

Some years back the country's crime lords sought to carve each other
up in a series of high profile murders in what was really a turf war.
Now it seems some of these so called ``godfathers'' are cracking down
on their own members when they fail to make a payment or delivery.

We had hoped that we had seen the end of ``summary justice'' when the
IRA declared their ceasefire. The fact that the same cold blooded
tactics have been adopted in gangland is alarming.

This time, the two young victims may not be headline grabbers. Both
men were probably only minor players in the drugs hierarchy. Such a
waste of young life adds to the sickening sense of pointlessness at
this crime.

One of the many worrying features of these deaths was the brazen
arrogance of the crime boss who has obviously placed himself high
above the law. This illusion must be shattered. The worry is that in
the twisted law of the gang boss, the deaths will probably only add to
the killer's prestige.

The gardai must spare no effort in seeing that these barbaric
executions are stopped. Every resource must be put into cracking down
on the narcotics profiteers. The forces of law and order have made
many notable strikes against the drug lords but this latest outrage is
an affront to those efforts.