SOLDIER IS SUSPECTED OF BEING TOP DRUGS DEALER IN MIDLANDS

AN ARMY private is suspected by gardai of being one of the biggest cannabis
dealers in the Midlands, co-operating with Dublin criminals to supply
college students in Athlone.

The private, who is stationed at Custume Barracks in Athlone, has had his
property searched by garda detectives. Military police have also searched
his locker at Custume Barracks in co-operation with requests made by drug
squad detectives.

The man remains a member of the Defence Forces and is paid as a private in
the Army.

However, garda intelligence and surveillance have shown he is a known
associate of Dublin drug dealers, including a man known as the Bluebell
General. He gets his cannabis supply through these connections, and
supplies the large urban areas of the Midlands, concentrating on Athlone
Institute of Technology where there are over 4,000 full and part-time
students.

He is known to have violent tendencies despite being described by
detectives as a cool character under pressure. He once attempted to stab a
member of the drugs squad while a search of his property was being carried
out.

Army Press Officer Cmdt Eoghan O'Neachtain said: "This guy is a member of
the defence forces. The military authorities have co-operated fully with
the gardai in this investigation.

A senior drugs officer in the Midlands said detectives investigating drug
supply at Athlone IT have found the soldier has also been dealing to other
large towns in the Midlands.

"He is a major player, if not the major player in the Midlands but he is
also very elusive.

"His locker has actually been searched at Custume Barracks and other
searches have been carried out after he was seen with these Dublin criminals.

"We have been aware of him for a very long time. He has a lot of people to
cater for in Athlone with the campus there but he also deals to Tullamore,
Ballinasloe and other large towns in the Midlands,'' the garda officer
said.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski