HAULIERS JOIN FORCES TO KEEP OUT DRUG BARONS

HAULAGE firms in the Republic and Northern Ireland are joining forces to
shut routes which drug barons are using to ferry narcotics into this country
and Britain.

Long-distance hauliers are now seeking the help of the authorities in the
Netherlands, France and Germany in a hot-line check on overseas customers
who hire their services to transport merchandise to Ireland and Britain.

The move follows the use by international drug barons a fortnight ago of a
border haulage firm in taking delivery of a cargo of IEP8 million worth of
drugs and a cache of 25 guns which were seized by gardai in County Monaghan
after being shipped from Amsterdam.

The lorry owner and the driver were freed after it was established by
detectives they were not aware the drugs or weapons were hidden in pallets
of frozen bread.

Lawyer Jerry Jones who represented the hauliers said yesterday "These men
were totally innocent and were used as pawns by ruthless criminals."

A road haulier in the North East who asked not to be named because of fears
of retaliation by border drug gangs revealed yesterday that the lorry men
were now adopting measures to prevent other firms being used by the drug
traffickers.

"We have warned drivers to be on the alert for several months but it is
clear a threat is still there. Hauliers involved in the transport of
perishable goods to and from Europe are no longer taking chances with
cargoes which they are asked to bring back to Ireland - they are now running
a check on clients in advance through the help of the authorities. It's the
only way to ensure that their trucks won't be used by the criminals and will
help lock their supplies to the country".

The latest action by the lorry men has been welcomed by Europol and other
police agencies engaged in the war against drugs.

A senior Garda spokesman said yesterday: "We recognise this is a very
sensitive area for hauliers who cannot be seen to do anything that might
lose them overseas business but it should help to close off some routes used
by the drugs barons."

Meanwhile, there are reports that some haulage firm drivers are being
offered huge sums to hide consignments of narcotics in vehicles returning to
Ireland.

One County Down driver recently claimed he refused UKP20,000 to take a haul
of cannabis, believed to be worth UKP1 million, on the Stranraer-Larne
route.